Chester County Press 12-18-2019 Edition

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Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas

Volume 153, No. 51 First in a series

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

The Kennett Township investigation: A web of deceit, devices and trickery begins

The following news story provides a summary of the specific and detailed findings that are contained in the 43-page police criminal complaint filed by Robert J. Balchunis, Jr., a sworn police detective with the Chester County District Attorney’s Office, that details former Kennett Township manager Lisa Moore’s misuse of Kennett Township funds, that resulted in her Dec. 10 arrest when it was discovered that she had embezzled $3,249,453 from Kennett Township over an eight-year period.

While much of this news story contains information pulled nearly verbatim from this report, it is also supplemented with additional facts relevant to Moore, the township and the investigation, in order to provide a clear and comprehensive narrative.

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer From the time she was first hired as a clerical manager for Kennett Township in June 1997, Lisa Moore was on a fast track to a very successful career.

She quickly rose through the ranks of municipal government, and in 2010, she was appointed as the township’s manager.

Subsequently, she was given the responsibility of overseeing the township’s daily business and its financial operations, such as employee compensation, processing vendor invoices and payments, and taking direction from the township’s supervisors, Allan Falcoff, Michael Elling and Robert Hammaker.

Over that time, Moore exercised primary – at times exclusive – control over access to the QuickBooks accounting software the township used to record financial transactions.

While she was earning top marks for her work at the township, Moore was also becoming a key stakeholder in the economic development and historic preservation of southern Chester County, serving on the Kennett Area Economic Development board and on the board of Historic Kennett Square.

Over the last decade, she had become a well-respected fixture throughout the Kennett area community, a tireless advocate for open space, parks and trails and business owners.

By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer

Lincoln University Concert Choir to perform at Eagles-Cowboys game...7A

INDEX Opinion.......................7A Obituaries.............2B-3B Calendar of Events.....6B Classifieds..................4B

© 2007 The Chester County Press

In a wealthy municipality that had assets of more than $25 million, and which had an annual general fund budget of more than $5 million – Lisa Moore was Kennett Township’s first – and many would say, best – face forward.

On April 3, 2019, Dr. Richard Leff, the township’s board vice chairman, reported to the Kennett Police Department that he had been contacted by the Capital One Fraud Department concerning township money transfers – both via check and automated clearing house (ACH) payments – from a township account to a personal Capital One account.

He told police that the fraud department report-

Courtesy photo

Former Kennett Township Manager Lisa Moore.

ed that Capital One had ed fund business checking received deposits from the account with Fulton Bank Kennett Township Board – using account number Continued on Page 3A of Supervisors consolidat-

No tax increase in Early plans for White Clay Point presented in New Garden Oxford Borough Borough council also appoints a new mayor to fill vacancy

R e - e n v i s i o n i n g Toughkenamon...4A

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There will be no tax increase for the residents of Oxford Borough as borough council unanimously approved a general fund budget in the amount of $3.8 million at the Dec. 16 meeting. The Tax Levy Ordinance was also approved and the millage rate will remain at 12 mills for the second consecutive year.

The meeting started after an executive session was held for council members to discuss the letters of interest that were received for the position of mayor. That position was vacated when Lorraine Durnan Bell submitted her resignation, citing medical reasons, and borough council accepted the resignation at a meeting on Dec. 2.

Appointing a new mayor was a major item on the lengthy agenda for the last council meeting of the year.

The borough received four letters of interest from borough residents Susan Miller,

Phil Harris, Paul Andriole and Amanda Transue-Woolston.

All the candidates were present at the meeting to answer questions from council and the public.

Each candidate was given an opportunity to answer two questions from Council: the first question pertained to why the person wanted to serve as mayor, and the second question was about what the person would hope to achieve as mayor.

Miller said that her life experiences and desire to address the needs of the people made her a good candidate. She added that serving as mayor would be a good way to be involved in the community.

Andriole previously served Oxford Borough as a council member and mayor, and said that he could hit the ground running due to his experience.

His concern was both the police budget and the safety of the community.

Harris, who owns a construction business and has Continued on Page 2A

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer When New Garden Township first floated JP Morgan Chase’s sketch plans for its proposed White Clay mixed-use development on its website on Dec. 5, the red flags of concern flew from Landenberg to Avondale and from West Grove to Toughkenamon.

The concerns were many: Route 41, already

clogged, will not be able to sustain additional traffic from this development, not to mention the roads that will border it.

It will place an additional population burden on the Kennett Consolidated School District.

It will have a negative impact on the environment.

New Garden Township is already becoming too overdeveloped. A project of this kind would destroy

the semi-rural quality of life here, forever.

On Dec. 16, more than 150 collective voices gathered at the Township Building to articulate those concerns, during the initial introduction of the proposed 200-acre project that will include both residential and commercial components, on the north and south sides of Route 41.

Continued on Page 5A

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

More than 150 residents packed the New Garden Township Building to hear the first presentation for White Clay Point, a 200-acre mixed-use development that is being proposed by JP Morgan Chase to be built in the township.

Avon Grove School Board approves opt-out resolution At the school board’s reorganization meeting, Bill Wood was selected as school board president and Jeff Billig was voted to serve as board vice president

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer The Avon Grove School Board concluded a busy 2019 with two meetings in December—the first a reorganization meeting and the second a regular meeting where the school board handled a relatively light agenda.

At the reorganization meet-

ing on Dec. 2, the school board officially welcomed the newly elected members and selected a new president and vice president.

Magisterial District Judge Matthew Seavey administered the oath of office to the five people who won seats on the board in the November election—Jeff Billig, Herman Engel, Tracy

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Lisi, Bonnie Wolff, and Dorothy Linn. This is Linn’s first term on the board, while Wolff, Lisi, Engel, and Billig are all returning to the board.

Once they were sworn in, the newly elected members joined the holdover board members: John Auerbach, Richard Dumont, Lynn Weber, and Bill Wood.

The first duty of the newly

configured board was to select a new president.

Wood, who served as board vice president in 2019, was nominated for the top leadership position. There were no other nominations and he was unanimously approved as the board president for 2020. Billig was then nominated for vice president. He, too, was approved by a unan-

imous vote.

The school board approved the list of meeting dates and times for the next year. The regular meetings will continue to take place on the fourth Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m.

With the current school year reaching its approximate midpoint, district Continued on Page 6A

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019

Chester County Press

Local News Oxford Borough...

Oxford Borough water rates increase

Continued from Page 1A

worked in the area for 20 years, said that he lost his bid for borough council in the recent election to some fine people. He said he was very involved in the community and wanted to restore integrity, honor and respect to the police.

Amand Transue-Woolston, a social worker and behavior specialist, said that she felt growing up with a mother who was a prosecutor and now with a father-in-law who was a former police chief stirred her interest in the mayor position. She hoped to use her experience with social media to help promote the police and involve the community.

Once borough council and the public had the opportunity to ask questions of the candidates, it was time for borough council to select a new mayor to serve the remaining two years on the unexpired term. In the end, Sue Lombardi, serving as the interim mayor, had to break a tie vote between Harris and Andriole. Lombardi cast the deciding vote and Harris will now serve as the mayor of Oxford Borough. Harris thanked council for their vote of confidence.

During the public comment session, a New Street resident expressed concern over sidewalk and curbing requirements. Council encouraged her to speak with the borough manager for further clarification about the regulations.

Borough resident Randy Teel encouraged council to reduce the borough’s donation to Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. and to increase the donations to the non-profits in the community that receive some support from the borough.

Chauncey Boyd spoke to council regarding the continuing damage by tractor trailers to his property at the corner of Wegewood Road and Locust Streets. Council will work on this in the new year.

In other business, council unanimously approved an ordinance to repeal the per-capita tax which was originally set by ordinance in 1947, and last amended in 1973. Council vice president Peggy Ann Russell noted that the tax, which was levied and assessed at $5 for Oxford Borough residents over the age of 18, no longer covered the expenses saying, “The costs of administering, billing and collecting the per-capita tax are so great that it doesn’t make sense to continue to collect the tax.”

Oxford Borough Council also discussed an ordinance pertaining to the borough’s Historic District Map.

By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer

Phil Harris

Discussion from a number of residents regarding restrictions in the historic district prompted council member Robert Ketcham to invite concerned residents to a Codes Committee meeting in the new year to express their concerns and seek solutions.

An ordinance dealing with high tunnel facilities (greenhouses) was also discussed and approved. Ketcham, the Codes Committee chair noted, “We have to allow for this type of facility in the borough.

Ketcham also spoke briefly about a proposed medical Marijuana Ordinance. “We previously sent this for Act 247 review and it was returned. We had initially proposed it for the PCLI (light industrial) district but it is too close to the schools. A change was made dropping the PCLI district. ” Council approved resubmission for another Act 247 review.

A motion was approved by council to advertise the Outdoor Café Ordinance.

This will be brought up in the January meeting.

A motion was approved to authorize advertising an ordinance Amend Chapter 21 of the Borough Code to establish an appeals process related to sidewalks and curbs.

A payment in the amount of $493, 894.92 to CPS Construction Group for the Multi- Modal Transportation Center was also approved by Council. Also approved was a final payment of $19,634.30 to BP Patterson for the water main replacement project.

Lombardi, one of three council members whose terms are ending, said an emotional farewell and thanked council members for their help and support. Her term on council ended with her serving as council president. She also served as interim mayor during the last few months.

John Thompson and Randy Grace are also ending their terms on borough council.

They were thanked for their service and dedication.

The Borough Council Reorganization meeting is scheduled for January 6, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. and will be held at the Oxford Senior Center.

Oxford Borough Council unanimously approved a water rate increase at the Dec. 16 council meeting, with the new rates effective in 2020. The increase would add $125,000 to the water budget, which is separate from the general fund budget. The last water rate increase occurred in 2014.

Oxford Borough manager Brian Hoover said he spent many hours studying the rates of other municipalities to see how Oxford compared. He said, “The borough’s current water rates are significantly lower than the water rates of other boroughs in Chester County and the private water companies like Aqua.”

Hoover explained the increase saying, “a minimum user in the borough uses 5,000 gallons per quarter and spends $26 per quarter. The new rate for that amount will increase from $26 to $31 per quarter.

The illustration below shows current rates and increases which will begin in 2020 5000 Minimum - $26.00 5,001 to 50,000 -$7.00 per 1000 gallons 50,001-100,000 - $7.66 per 1000 gallons 100,001-150,000 - $8.69 per 1000 gallons Over 150,001 - $8.94 per 1000 gallons

IN TOWN New Rate $31.00 – 5000 Gallons New Rate - $7.70 per 1000 gallons New Rate - $8.43 per 1000g New Rate - $9.56 per 1000g New Rate - $9.83 per 1000g

Increase 19% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00%

5,000 Minimum - $31.20 5,001 to 50,000 - $8.40 50.001 to 100,000 - $9.19 100,001 to 150,000 – $10.43 Over 150,000 - $10.73

OUT OF TOWN New Rate - $37.20 New Rate - $9.24 New Rate - $10.11 New Rate - $11.47 New Rate - $11.80

19.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00%

The borough has been proactive in updating water infrastructure, and in securing grants for projects. Hoover thanked State Representative John Lawrence for his support of a recent water main grant in the amount of $750,000. “Lawrence really went to bat for the borough and was instrumental in helping us secure those funds,” Hoover said.

The Borough has also applied for a state DCED grant in the amount of $450,000 for water main improvements for Hodgson and Eighth Streets.

This year, water mains have been replaced on Broad Street between Fifth and Eighth streets, and Franklin, Nottingham and Garfield streets. Grants have also been used for some of that work. Hoover said plans are in the works to apply for another grant to replace the water main between Fifth and Eighth streets and also on Eighth Street.

The borough is projecting another hit to the water budget due to DEP mandates. DEP has advised the borough that manganese, found in Borough water, is considered a secondary contaminant, which means the borough will need to install a manganese removal system. Borough engineer David Bright explained, “Manganese is not currently a health problem, but it does leave a black residue in water. It is more of an aesthetic problem. The treatment we are looking at is an ionic exchange.”

DEP is asking for a plan from the Borough in 3 to 6 months, with implementation of the plan within 5 years.

Figures for the engineering study and implementation of the plan could run from $1 million to $2 million. Those figures include a building and other infrastructure. Currently, the borough rids the system of some of that manganese by performing flushing of the water lines twice a year.

The Borough is also working on another well located at Sycamore Crossing. Bringing Well #14 on line would reduce the Borough’s dependence on Chester Water Authority (CWA). John Schaible, the Public Works supervisor, described Well #14 as a “good producing well that could decrease the Borough’s supplementary use of Chester Water Authority’s (CWA) water.” This year alone the Borough has spent $125,000 on water from CWA. Ongoing negotiations between Aqua and Chester Water Authority (CWA) could potentially impact future water rates in the Borough. If Aqua succeeds in acquiring CWA, rates could rise, plus additional lab testing could increase costs for the Borough.

A maintenance project on the water treatment tower is also expected in the near future and during that period the borough would be using CWA water.

Kennett High School ceramics sale supports program Nearly fifty pieces, including beautiful wheel-thrown mugs and bowls, will be available for purchase at this year’s Ceramics Sale at Kennett High School. All works were crafted by students in teacher Jodi Davidson’s ceramics classes, levels II through IV. Ten years ago, Davidson and her students developed this creative way to add to their annual budget, with all proceeds from the sale helping to support the purchase of materials like clay and glaze for future projects.

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Davidson noted, “The items available for sale are of the same hand-crafted quality you’d find at a store or online. We sell them for a fraction of the cost to make it affordable for people to purchase pieces as gifts.

The students have created some amazing work, and the money goes directly back into our program.” Last year’s sale raised approximately $500.

The sale will be held in the school’s lobby on Wednesday, Dec. 18 and will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Prices range from $5 to $30.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

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Chester County Press

Local News Investigation...

The signature stamp

Continued from Page 1A

X0760 – on another person’s personal Capital One consumer checking account.

Capital One reported that the deposit activity on the account is unusual for a personal checking account, and wanted to confirm that these funds were being used with the supervisors’ knowledge and consent. On the same day, the Kennett Police Department informed each of the supervisors – Leff, Whitney Hoffman and board chairman Scudder Stevens, as well as Moore – about the “suspicious” transactions.

After the police contacted the Capital One Fraud Department, they learned that between May 2016 and April 2019, approximately $756,751.92 had been transferred from township account X0780 at Fulton Bank to a personal Capital One account identified as X1751. Kevin Toth of the Capital One Fraud Department assured that the transfers, made in the form of banking check deposits and ACH deposits, had all been authorized by Moore, in her capacity as township manager.

On April 9, the Kennett police met with Fulton Bank account manager Michael Essmaker, who confirmed that account number X0780 was a township account, and that a large sum of money had been transferred from account number X0780 to the Capital One personal bank account number 360 X1751 since early 2016.

On April 24, the township police met with Cindy Wessner-Schaeffer, the vice president and fraud risk group manager for the Fulton Financial Corporation, who expressed concern about the large sum of money that was being transferred from township account X0780 to the Capital One 360 X1751 account. Soon after, the police visited the Fulton Bank on School House Road in Kennett Square, where they collected copies of every check that was related to transactions between the two accounts.

There were 61 of them.

Soon, the police discovered that a majority of the checks contained not only Moore’s signature, but Stevens’ signature, as well.

On April 24, the Kennett police asked the Chester County District Attorney’s Office to open up an investigation into the reported activities. Subsequently, the Chester County Detectives, led by Robert J. Balchunis, Jr., a 20-year law enforcement officer in the county, began an investigation that would take the next eight months, involve a collaboration with a forensic auditor, and hold the residents of Kennett Township and most of southern Chester County in a vice grip of rumor and impatience.

On the same day, Moore was on vacation in France.

Balchunis reviewed the 61 checks and observed that each one was from the township’s supervisors’ consolidated fund, and paid to the order of Moore and issued to Moore. Balchunis also noticed that each check was marked with a designation that said that any check over the amount of $2,000 requires the signature of two township officials.

The checks that were over $2,000, Balchunis observed, not only contained Moore’s signature, but Stevens’ signature.

On April 24, Balchunis and the township police met with Stevens, who agreed that while the signature was indeed his, he said that each time he signs his name, it appears slightly different, while each signature on the checks appeared to be exactly the same. He then asked if the township had a stamp with his name on it, stating that he was not aware of such a device and had not authorized one. He also stated that he did not authorize the checks and did not know why they had been issued to Moore.

After Stevens provided consent to search Moore’s office, an ink stamp containing both Stevens’ signature and Moore’s signature were found. He later identified 18 unauthorized checks made in 2016, that totaled $85,560.68; 23 checks in 2017 that totaled $149,867.88; 15 checks that totaled $122,039.92; five checks totaling $47,413.85 – all of which added to a total of $404,882.33.

Over the next few weeks, the investigation discovered a complicated, shell game transfer of money from various accounts that belonged to the township and to Moore. On April 26, Balchunis spoke with Wessner-Schaeffer, who told Balchunis that, after further review of Kennett Township account number X0780 at Fulton Bank, she discovered that additional funds had been transferred to the Capital One account number X1751, as well as to an additional personal bank account, identified as account number X0357.

On April 29, Balchunis obtained a search warrant that authorized Wells Fargo to provide account holder information to bank account X0357, and on May 6, Balchunis received word that the account belonged to Moore.

On April 30, Balchunis received records from Capital One, which listed

that account X1751 was Moore’s. It was opened on Sept. 8, 2011, and also linked to Wells Fargo account X0357 and BB&T account X7498.

On May 2, WessnerSchaeffer told Balchunis that township payroll funds amounting to $1,479,109.03 had been transferred from the township’s Fulton Bank account X0780 into Capital One account number X1751 and Wells Fargo account number X0357. A subsequent investigation revealed that both accounts also belonged to Moore.

May 1 served as a crucial and fact-finding day in the course of the eightmonth investigation, one that soon after revealed a fabricated letter, led to the connection between several accounts and transactions, and included a recorded interview with Moore.

Fabricated letter On that day, the township’s supervisors consented to the search of Moore’s office at the Township Building.

In Moore’s personnel file, investigators found a letter using the letterhead belonging to Umbreit Korengel & Associates P.C. Certified Public Accounts.

The letter was addressed to Moore, regarding outstanding payroll liabilities.

“I am responding to your request for documentation of your outstanding liabilities,” the letter began. “As of Dec. 31, 2012, you have the following outstanding liabilities: 1. Unused sick and vacation – 3128 hours; 2. Owed Comp Time per personnel policy – 14,218 hours. Contact me with further questions.” The letter was signed by Timothy D. Umbreit, and included “TDU/mw” at the bottom of the document.

Balchunis spoke to Umbreit on May 10 and asked him if he would make any recommendations having to do with the township’s payroll liabilities, specifically related to sick, vacation and sick time reimbursement. Umbreit stated that was a township policy decision to make, and subsequently reviewed two letters that Moyer recovered from the Dell Inspiron 17 laptop computer Moore used. Umbreit said that it was very unusual that he would quantify the numbers, especially the number of hours listed on the letter, because he does not keep them. He further stated that there would be no reason he would serve as the official for the amount of hours

Correction In a story about Penn Township that appeared in the Dec. 11 issue of the Chester County Press, we incorrectly reported that Jay Ennis’ term as supervisor was ending at the conclusion of this year. In fact, Ennis has several more years in office. It is Ken Bryson’s term as Penn Township supervisor that concludes this year. We apologize for any confusion this error may have caused.

Moore was owed.

Umbreit also noticed that the words on the letter appeared to be smaller in point size than what the company normally uses in its correspondence. He then directed his employees to search the company’s server to locate the letters, and on May 13, Umbreit told investigators that there was no record of the letters on the company’s server.

Further, Umbreit stated that the “mw” at the bottom of the letter identified Marie Wilson, who he said had retired from the company in June 2013 and could not have prepared the letter.

On that same day, Balchunis served a search warrant at Moore’s residence, where an Apple iMac all-in-one computer was seized and subsequently turned over to Zachary Moyer, a forensic analyst with the Chester County Detectives Forensic Unit.

A review of system and user data recovered from the Apple iMac all-in-one computer revealed several documents that listed various and conflicting amounts of payroll liabilities and comp time records that pertained to Moore.

During a recorded interview with Balchunis and Detective James Ciliberto of the Chester County Detectives Major Case Unit, Moore admitted to improper conduct. She told detectives that she had been paying herself through the township’s General Fund account. According to Moore, she did so based on an agreement signed between her and the township supervisors, which she supplied to investigators.

Moore told detectives that she wrote herself checks personally from the township’s general fund – none of which were designed as payroll checks – in order to avoid paying taxes. The checks that she wrote to herself were stamped with the signature of a township supervisor – Stevens -- because she knew that the supervisors would not have otherwise have authorized the checks. She admitted that she was using the township’s general fund to pay for her personal credit card bills – expenditures that were left off of the township’s general accounting sheets that she provided to township officials.

Moore told detectives that she had been doing this practice for the past eight years.

She was placed on paid administrative leave from the township. On May 17, she was dismissed from her job as the township’s manager. In a press release issued on May 20, it stated that Moore’s dismissal came

“after new information was discovered and brought before the supervisors. The dismissal action was coordinated with the township’s legal and human resources representatives.”

Restoring normalcy in the township As May turned into June, Balchunis, Moyer, Ciliberto and representatives from the DA’s Office and Chester County Detectives continued to step up their investigation into the facts behind Moore’s manipulation of township funds. At the same time, the Kennett Township Building was converted into an administrative triage center in an effort to restore trust in a local government at a time when public trust was eroding in a mash-up of rumor, anger and insinuation.

For Stevens, an attorney with Lyons, Dougherty, LLC; Hoffman, an online media marketing professional; and Leff, a medical doctor, it meant taking over a large chunk of administrative tasks normally reserved for the township manager.

They held executive sessions, wrote township checks, maintained payroll, and conducted business with vendors.

On May 28, they hired Alison Rudolf, who had served as the township manager for Lower Moreland Township for 26 years, as interim township manager.

Very quickly, the board voted in favor of measures intended to clean up its accounting systems, and on June 19, based on Rudolf’s recommendation, the board approved a resolution to assign all township accounts at Fulton Bank with a new account number, and to authorize that all township checks will require at least one supervisor’s signature on all township checks.

The township also hired David Woglom, Associate Director for Public Service at the Meyner Center at Lafayette College for the Study of State and Local Government, to help conduct a search for a permanent manager. In August, after reviewing the applications of 33 hopefuls, the board hired Eden Ratliff, the borough manager and chief administrative official of the Borough of Greencastle in Franklin County, Pa. “We wanted a township manager possessing the skills and educational background to effectively and efficiently manage Kennett Township, as well as an individual with the foresight to lead the township forward for many years,” Stevens said of Ratliff at an Aug. 21 board meeting. “I believe you will be pleased

Chester County PRESS

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SPECIAL SECTION CALENDARR

by his credentials, skills, and all that he will bring to Kennett Township in the years to come.”

Before Ratliff began his new position on Sept. 23, however, it was a troubling summer for Stevens, Leff and Hoffman. At each board meeting, they attempted to sell the township’s message of transparency in the form of carefully worded statements about the investigation that were written by newly hired media consultant Carl Francis. News from the District Attorney’s Office began briskly but sputtered by early fall; at the same time, township residents demanded answers and not rhetoric, and several board meetings escalated into a demand for specifics that were not coming.

While the investigation into township accounting that had begun in late April was being conducted behind closed doors, the work being done by the District Attorney’s Office, the Chester County Detectives, Marcum, LLP and other agencies was beginning to unravel a spider’s web of money manipulation that robbed the township of more than $3 million and would lead to the arrest of a suspect who at one time – right in front of elected and appointed officials, key stakeholders and everyday citizens -- had punched her ticket to becoming one of the most respected and trusted public officials in Chester County.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

This is the first in a series of stories the Chester County Press is publishing in its investigation of the findings included in the police criminal complaint report filed by the Chester County District Attorney’s Office that provides details about the embezzlement of more than $3 million of Kennett Township funds by former township manager Lisa Moore. The Press will provide a complete report of the public meeting hosted by the township at the Red Clay Room on Dec. 17 that will discuss the investigation in its Dec. 24 edition.

The report has been made public by Kennett Township, and is available on its website, www.kennett.pa.us.

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019

Planners, residents continue to share ideas for revitalization of Toughkenamon

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer Despite a steady downpour that rained down on Toughkenamon on Dec. 9, more than 50 local residents came to the Harvest Ridge Winery Community Room to share their ideas for the future of the village with representatives from McMahon Associates and Thomas Comitta & Associates, at a workshop that reviewed the Toughkenamon Streetscape & Transportation Improvement Plan.

The event was the third pubic workshop of its kind and served as the latest stopping-off point for a 15-month plan that was approved by the New Garden Township Board of Supervisors last December at a cost of $79,000. Part of the effort is enlisting the ideas of community partners, businesses and residents.

The timeline for the improvement plan is to collect data, evaluate existing conditions in the village, develop transportation and land-use strategies and generate a supplemental plan that is expected to be finalized and presented to the New Garden board in early 2020.

Because the revitalization of the village is a key component of the township’s 2018 Comprehensive Plan, the township formed a committee of stakeholders – which includes residents and business owners – to guide the streetscape plan,

identify ways to improve transportation and mobility in the village, and enhance aesthetics, create a diversity of housing opportunities and encourage investment.

Eventually, the plan that will enable a mixed-use business corridor along Newark Road, Baltimore Pike and Main Street that will include sidewalks, safe routes to public transportation, crosswalks, pedestrian amenities, ADA considerations, landscaping, a park, and overall beautification of the village.

While the end-goals of the plan to re-energize Toughkenamon are clear, there are still several puzzles to be solved, such as determining methods of curbing traffic congestion; finding ways to increase the amount of pedestrian and bicycle use; decreasing the amount of cut-through traffic; discovering more opportunities for public parking; developing civic open spaces for public use; creating a community identity and generating community interest in the plan.

While the big-picture solutions remain for the moment on the many architectural renderings and streetscape concepts that were shared at the meeting, achieving those goals will be a one-step-at-a-time process, said New Garden Township Board Chairman Steve Allaband. He said that it will coincide with PennDOT’s project to improve the

intersection of Newark Road and Baltimore Pike, which received a $2 million grant in 2018 from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Multimodal Transportation Fund.

“The next step will be to rewrite the township’s zoning laws, in an effort to encourage mixed-use development,” he said. “For a village like this that has a lot of potential and several twostory structures, we need to create zoning to allow for businesses to run on the first floor and residences to be built on the second floor.

“It has to be done not only with zoning regulations, but through the design and development of a safe and attractive streetscape as well. We need to include streetlights and sidewalks in order to create a more pedestrian-like atmosphere.

In turn, that enhances Toughkenamon’s identity as a village and encourages walking instead of driving.”

Jennifer Reitz, a municipal planner with Thomas Comitta & Associates, a member of the consulting team, said that the plan will be a two-step process. The first step is to develop the core of the village that is bordered on the west by Reese Street and Union Street to the east.

“Our goal is to give this district a boost in terms of increasing walkability, developing street beautification and having more retail businesses along Newark Road,” she said.

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

Jennifer Reitz, a municipal planner with Thomas Comitta & Associates, discusses components of the plan with local residents.

“This plan is also looking down the line, to answer, ‘Where does the village have the room to grow?’ Our plan is to expand this district along Willow Street and encourage redevelopment to occur in that direction.

“We conducted a lot of interviews with stakeholders as part of the [New Garden Township Comprehensive Plan], and in the process, heard from developers who told us that, given the success of Kennett Square, Toughkenamon is the next logical place for development. They’re just waiting for the township to put out the ‘Welcome’ sign.

This plan is a way of saying that Toughkenamon does welcome business, especially when it is compatible with the community’s vision.”

Public input, Reitz said, continues to drive the project forward and solidify the

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

Residents met with township planners and local officials at the third public meeting on Dec. 9 that welcomed public input for the Toughkenamon Streetscape & Transportation Improvement Plan.

plans for Toughkenamon.

“At the last workshop [held on Sept. 19], we proposed the idea of converting Church and Main streets into one-way streets,” she said. “The community was very much against that option, so we listened to their concerns, and we have since taken the proposal off

the design board. A major part of these workshops is getting community ideas and support. In the end, we very likely won’t be able to please everyone, but we will certainly try to get as much input as possible.”

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

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Chester County Press

Local News White Clay Point...

Continued from Page 1A

Moderated by land development coordinator Bill Romanelli, the presentation began with a broad overview for the property, which will stretch from Reynolds Road to the south, Sunny Dell Road to the west and Sharp Road to the north, that will include a total 356 residential units – 182 single-family homes, 60 townhouses and 114 apartments.

On its southern end, the planned development will include 95 lots that will be used as town homes and single-family homes. The town center will include 222,000 square feet dedicated to commercial development and three mixed-use buildings that will be used for retail, offices and apartments. Two buildings, sized at 26,000 square feet, will include 42 apartment units each, and the third, sized at 18,000 square feet, will include 30 apartments. It will include a main entrance on Route 41 and a second entrance on Sunny Dell Road, as well as an emergency access to Reynolds Road.

In addition, JP Morgan Chase’s plans include a 65,000 square-foot retail food store, a potential 55,000 square-foot indoor training facility and a possible outdoor multipurpose athletic field.

In conjunction with the township’s recent purchase of the St. Anthony’s property and its commitment to providing open space and trails, the plans for White Clay Point include several patches of open space, as well as streams, ponds and trails, some of which border the northern edge of the St. Anthony property.

On the north side of Route 41, plans call for an 87-home, semi-circular active adult development, that will feature two culde-sacs and a club house with two entrances off of Sharp Road. Just to the south along the arterial space between Sheehan Road and Route 41, JP Morgan Chase’s plans call for the construction of a 5,000-square-foot convenience store.

Romanelli said that there are no commercial entities locked into the project as of now.

“In designing this plan, we tried to keep several things in mind,” Romanelli said. “The first of which was not to overwhelm any specific township police department, schools and EMS facilities, so we tried to come up with a mixed-use plan that would accomplish that goal. We know that the township would like to see commercial [development] along Route 41. We also tried to limit the earth disturbance on the site.”

From a cost standpoint, Romanelli estimated that

the price for a home in the active adult community would be between $325,000 and $375,000; the cost for a townhome will range from $250,000 to $300,000; and the price for single-family homes would be between $425,000 and $500,000.

During his presentation, Romanelli frequently compared the proposed project to the one pitched to the township years ago by the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT).

He said that the new project will have far less of an impact than the PREIT proposal, which was designed to be a 187-acre mixed-use project that would provide for 84 acres of retail space, 52 acres devoted to a town center, and 51 acres dedicated to the construction of 83 single detached units that were planned to be built adjacent to the Hartefeld development and golf course, near Sharp Road. In addition, a convenience store and gas station were planned for the other side of Route 41.

In total, PREIT’s imprint was proposed to be close

to one million square feet, compared to the proposed 222,000 square-foot space intended to be used by White Clay Point.

Romanelli said that opposed to the PREIT plans, which were intended to draw from a larger regional boundary, the White Clay Point plans are targeted to a more local clientele.

“When you get up to a million square feet of commercial space, you begin starting to pull people from 50 to 60 miles away that want to come to your facility,” he said, “whereas this project will draw from this township and surrounding townships, as opposed to surrounding counties and states.”

Romanelli added that the proposed project will provide more green space than the PREIT plan, and improve the stormwater quality for residents who live in the vicinity of White Clay Point.

The most pressing points made by residents during the question-and-answer session focused on two issues: the potential traffic

problem that a project of this size would have, not only along the Route 41 corridor, but through the tributary of roads throughout the township that lead to Route 41; and the belief that there are just too many residences included in the plan.

Romanelli said that the traffic engineer for the project has not yet been asked to create a traffic study for the area, but that proposed improvements along Route 41 will include some traffic calmers in the form of two traffic lights – one at the corner of Route 41 and Sunny Dell Road, and the other at the development’s main entrance on Route 41 – as well as turning lanes at each intersection.

Other viewpoints expressed by the audience included concerns that the proposed development would have a negative environmental impact; would place an increased stress on the township’s sewer system; would lead to safety hazards along Route 41 for drivers and pedestrians; would create additional light pollution

in the township; and place an additional burden on schools in the Kennett Consolidated School District.

One suggestion expressed by an audience member was to restore and convert the historic Taylor barn into a township community and welcome center, “to use it as a place of public assembly, with accessibility, structural capability, signage and parking and so forth,” he said. “That’s something I would ask JP Morgan to step up and support, instead of giving us a wreck of a building and say to us, ‘Here you are. We failed to demolish it, but you can have it.’

“Lastly, I think a lot of mixed-use development needs to respect the goals that township residents have expressed in multiple official documents – to provide economic opportunities for residents,” he added. “I hope that the plans increase the quality of life in New Garden Township, not reduce it.”

While the final plans for the proposed project are likely to be several presen-

tations away, White Clay Point was set into motion soon after JP Morgan Chase purchased the PREIT property in April for a sum of $11 million – $8.25 million cash and $2.75 million in preferred stock.

Romanelli assured the audience that the initial presentation unveiled what he called a sketch plan for the proposed development, and will be followed up by what he predicted would be several additional plans that will be presented to the township’s Board of Supervisors and its residents. Board chairman Steve Allaband said the planning stage “will be a lengthy process.”

“My personal opinion is that it will be a benefit to the community,” he said.

“What we see there today versus what this can turn into, I think it will be a plus for the township. This will be a beautiful asset and draw some residents who will be able to shop locally.”

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019

Chester County Press

Local News Date set for third installment of Oxford’s Connective Art & Music Festival Festival planners have announced Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020 as the date for the next Connective Art & Music Festival.

Herr’s will return as the event’s presenting sponsor.

Established in 2018 as a joint fundraiser for

the Oxford Arts Alliance and Oxford Mainstreet Inc. (OMI), two 501(c)(3) non-profits, the Connective Festival has quickly become one of the most popular festivals in the region, attracting thousands of people to downtown Oxford.

In addition to promoting

Oxford’s growing artistic and cultural vibe, festival organizers hope the event will increase awareness and support for the arts and music, and bring people together.

“The employees at Herr’s are happy to return to the Connective in the role of presenting sponsor. In a world of polarization on many fronts, we love the theme of ‘unique friends’ coming together to build community,” explained Ed Herr, President and CEO of Herr Foods, Inc. In addition to lending their financial support, last year Herr’s Herr’s is the official snack food of the Connective helped with many aspects of Festival and free snacks were distributed through- planning and could be seen on site the day of the festiout the day.

Courtesy photos

The Connective Festival audience really enjoyed the performance by headliner Blind Melon.

val providing loads of free Ongoing developments in as well as on the festival snacks to guests and jump- the festival planning will website at www.connecing in wherever needed. be shared via social media, tivefestival.org.

Chester County’s Decade to Doorways initiative calls on public to “be the key” in partnering to end homelessness

Courtesy photos

Chester County Commissioners Terence Farrell (left), Michelle Kichline (center) and Kathi Cozzone (right) present a county proclamation for National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month to Pat Bokovitz (second left), Director of the Chester County Department of Community Development and Rob Henry (second right) Decade to Doorways Administrator.

Avon Grove...

Continued from Page 1A

officials are already hard at work preparing a budget for 2020-2021. The school board took its next step in the budgeting process by approving an accelerated opt-out resolution at the meeting on Dec. 12.

This action obligates the school district to stay within the Act 1 Index limit when the budget for the next fiscal year is adopted and the tax rate is set.

The opt-out resolution also clears the way for the school district to move forward with a normal budgeting process, rather than seeking approval from voters for a tax increase that would

exceed the Act 1 Index limit via a referendum.

In other business at the meeting, the school board approved a roadway surveying proposal from Terraform Engineering to do the additional surveys that are required so that the school district can obtain a Highway Occupancy Permit for the new high school project.

The school board approved the appointment of Sean Burns, a principal in the district, to serve as the next director of pupil services.

This was one of several personnel items on the agenda.

Avon Grove superintendent Dr. Christopher Marchese congratulated Burns on the appointment and thanked Jeremy Curtis for his work in the role as director of

pupil services over the last four-plus years. Marchese presented Curtis with a plaque and wished him luck in his new position as the assistant to the superintendent in the Chichester School District.

In his report to the school board, Marchese noted that the school district enrollment now stands at 5,067 students.

The superintendent also offered a brief update about the high school project, noting that the district’s Integration Committee is continuing its work to prepare a facilities integration plan. District officials are also working on moving the high school project through the land-development process. There have been regular meetings with

The recent proclamation recognizing National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, signed by Chester County Commissioners Michelle Kichline, Kathi Cozzone and Terence Farrell, set the stage for Chester County Decade to Doorways’ latest effort to end homelessness in the county.

At a reception hosted by the County’s Decade to Doorways team during Thanksgiving week, a new public engagement initiative, “Be The Key”, was introduced, petitioning the public to meaningfully take part in efforts to prevent and end Penn Township officials.

Marchese said that the district is looking forward to having the high school project enter the bidding stage. This should take place at some point in the early part of 2020.

The Avon Grove School Board will meet again on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. at the Avon Grove Intermediate School audion. A committee-of-the-whole meeting regarding the planning and construction of the new high school will take place on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020.

That meeting is also at 6:30 p.m.

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.

homelessness in Chester County.

In 2016, Chester County reported 682 people experiencing homelessness during its annual one- night census, also known as the Point in Time Count. In 2019, that number reduced to 517, representing a 24 percent decrease in people experiencing homelessness on any given night in Chester County.

Addressing guests at the Decade to Doorways reception, Kelly Raggazino, Decade to Doorways Governance Board Chair and Executive Director of Open Hearth, Inc. said, “In Chester County, we are fortunate to live in a community that has coordinated its efforts, where our neighbors are able to use shelters, rapid rehousing and permanent housing programs to effectively resolve their housing crises.

“But our coordinated efforts have also helped us to identify areas where there are still gaps in the system that provide the resources needed to meet the needs of

everyone who is currently experiencing homelessness, or may be at risk of homelessness. Those areas are where we now turn to the public for support.”

Rob Henry, Chester County’s Decade to Doorways Administrator, noted, “Through the tireless work of Decade to Doorways partner providers we have made significant progress in the efforts to end chronic homelessness, yet there is still much to be done.

“In this latest effort – a call to ‘be the key’ we invite everyone to join the partnership, to be a critical link in achieving the meaningful and realistic goal of ending homelessness in Chester County. It can happen by raising awareness, volunteering, creating housing opportunities and providing financial resources,” added Henry.

For more information on Decade to Doorways and the call to be the key to ending homelessness, visit www.

DecadeToDoorways.org or call 610-344-6900.

Kelly Raggazino, Governance Board Chair for Decade to Doorways and Executive Director of Open Hearth, Inc., addresses guests at the Decade to Doorways launch of the Be The Key campaign.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

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Chester County Press

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Opinion

Editorial

Guest column

Front page juxtaposition illustrates the best—and worst—that small, local government has to offer

Lincoln University Concert Choir to sing at Eagles vs. Cowboys game

On the front page of last week’s Chester County Press, there was a bombshell story about the township manager who is facing charges of embezzling more than $3.2 million from Kennett Township since 2013. There was also a story about Penn Township supervisors adopting a budget for next year that does not require a tax increase. This is the 22nd year in a row that Penn Township has adopted a budget without increasing municipal taxes for its residents. The juxtaposition of those two stories on the same front page illustrates what is both good and bad about Pennsylvania having more than 2,500 individual municipalities, each one a kind of kingdom unto itself.

The borough council members and township supervisors who serve in leadership positions in the municipalities are united in their selfless willingness to volunteer their time for the betterment of the community—but beyond that they have little in common with each other. The borough council members and supervisors representing the 2,560 municipalities are nurses and teachers and business owners and landscapers and stay-at-home dads. These elected officials have varied backgrounds, differing education levels, and vastly different life experiences.

Each council member and supervisor comes with strengths that they bring to these positions. They all come with their limitations, too.

Sometimes, having Pennsylvania’s system of more than 2,500 individual municipalities can result in good government. Neighbors elected to serve as municipal leaders are certainly more responsive to their neighbors in a small town or township. Who cares more about zoning and land-development issues than a person who lives in the community and who may have his or her quality of life impacted? Neighbors are certainly going to be more hesitant to raise taxes on their neighbors. So small, local governments have their pluses, but then there are the minuses.

What happened in Kennett Township might be less likely to occur in a larger government entity where there would be a more professional environment with a system of checks and balances in place so that one person could blatantly steal taxpayer money.

So the news stories about Kennett Township and Penn Township illustrate the worst—and best—of local government. It can work great, and the Penn Township Board of Supervisors delivering a budget without a tax increase is an example of that. What happened in Kennett Township, by contrast, is an example of some of the flaws of relying on nominally-paid decisionmakers to run municipalities where a lot of responsibility rests on the shoulders of just a few paid employees in leadership roles. That’s not to suggest that supervisors and council members should be paid. Even if they were paid more, they could still make a mistake in who they place choose to replace their trust in.

The point is that all these 2,500 individual municipalities place a lot of trust in very few people, and when one of those people exploits the system for their own benefit, the inherent flaws in the system are exposed.

Chester County Press Randall S. Lieberman Publisher

Steve Hoffman..................................Managing Editor Richard L. Gaw..................................Associate Editor Brenda Butt.........................................Office Manager Tricia Hoadley...........................................Art Director Alan E. Turn...............................Advertising Director Teri Turns................................Advertising Executive Helen E. Warren......................Advertising Executive Amy Lieberman.............Marketing/Public Relations The Chester County Press (USPS 416-500) is published every Wednesday by: AD PRO, Inc. 144 South Jennersville Rd, West Grove, PA 19390 Mailing Address: PO Box 150, Kelton, PA 19346 Telephone: (610) 869-5553 • FAX (610) 869-9628 E-mail (editor): editor@chestercounty.com HOURS: Monday- Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., no weekend hours Annual Subscription Rate: $40.00 | Senior Citizen Rate - $30.00

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The award winning Chester County Press

The Lincoln University Concert Choir will sing the National Anthem at the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys football game at 4:25 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 22, at Lincoln Financial Field.

This won’t be the first time the choir performs the National Anthem at a professional sporting event; for two years in a row, in both 2018 and 2019, the choir performed the National Anthem at a Philadelphia Phillies home baseball game at

Citizens Bank Park.

“I am thrilled for the Lincoln University Concert Choir members,” said Dr. Camilla Horne, the director of choral activities in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts.

“This is such an honor.

The students’ hard work and dedication to musical excellence has paid off!”

Explaining the choir’s selection, Denise Kozul, marketing and executive assistant in the Philadelphia Eagles’ Marketing Department,

Courtesy photo

The Lincoln University Concert Choir will sing the National Anthem at the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys football game at 4:25 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 22.

said, “I listened and mance at a Phillies’ game enjoyed the choir’s perfor- in April. It was beautiful!”

Legislation address food waste, food insecurity State Rep. Danielle Friel Otten, D-Chester, hosted constituents in her district office recently for an overview and discussion of her proposed food waste reduction bills, followed by the screening of a documentary on food waste.

“More food reaches our landfills and incinerators than any other single material in our everyday trash stream,” Otten said. “Today, 40 percent of the food produced in the United States goes to waste, and food waste accounts for 20 percent of the material in our landfills. We need to both redefine what we think of as waste and create a more sustainable system for processing the waste we do produce.”

Otten has introduced legislation to reduce food waste, reduce food insecurity, and improve

sustainability. House Bill 1950, Expanding Food Donor Immunity, would encourage food donations by ensuring that restaurants, farms, schools, institutions, and others who donate food to charitable organizations or needy individuals can do so without concerns over potential liability, as long as the donation is made in good faith and reasonable steps are taken to inspect the food at the time of donation.

House Bill 1959, Food Date Labeling Requirements, would reduce the amount of food unnecessarily thrown away by requiring food manufacturers to include a “use by” date on food labels that indicates the final date at which the food is safe for human consumption. Manufacturers could also list a voluntary “best if used by” date to indicate the

window for peak freshness or appearance. Otten plans to introduce a separate Milk Date Labeling bill with similar goals, accommodating the distinct requirements for the bottling and sale of dairy products in Pennsylvania.

House Bill 2023, Making Pennsylvania a Leader in Composting, was first announced as part of the “Zero Waste PA” package of bills introduced in the spring by a group of House Democratic lawmakers.

The bill would both divert organic waste from landfills and create a market for organic waste composting.

“This approach is like a pyramid, and the first step is reducing the amount of waste we generate. Every year, we throw out tons and tons of perfectly good food, while at the same time, we have organizations and state agencies trying desperately

to combat the issue of food insecurity in our communities,” Otten said. “Once we get as much safe, consumable food as possible to the people who need it, the next step in the pyramid is agricultural, including use as feed for livestock.

Finally, we would turn any remaining waste into compost, which can be applied to farmland to add nutrients to the soil, improve crop yields, and reduce our need for artificial, commercial fertilizers.”

House Bills 1950 and 1959 are currently in the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, while H.B. 2023 has been assigned to the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

For more information about any of the bills, call Otten’s office at 484-200-8259.

Pennsylvania leaders come together to strengthen juvenile justice system and improve outcomes Gov. Tom Wolf, justices from across Pennsylvania and legislative leaders from the House and Senate jointly announced a new inter-branch effort to strengthen Pennsylvania’s juvenile justice system.

The newly formed Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice Task Force is charged with delivering data-driven policy recommendations to Pennsylvania leaders in a report by Nov. 30, 2020.

The recommendations will form the basis for statutory, budgetary, and administrative changes during the 2021-22 legislative session.

Task force goals include protecting public safety; ensuring accountability; achieving taxpayer savings and sustained system reinvestment; and improving outcomes for youth, families and communities.

“The partnership we’re creating today is an important step toward protecting vulnerable young Pennsylvanians,” Gov. Wolf said. “With this task force, we can thoroughly review our juvenile justice system and find ways to make lasting change that ensures every young Pennsylvanian is getting the support needed to grow into a successful adult.”

Pennsylvania has long been committed to achieving better juvenile justice outcomes across the three branches of government

through entities such as the Juvenile Court Judges Commission and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

Yet challenges remain, and the Commonwealth has one of the highest rates of juvenile commitment in the nation. The task force announced today represents a bipartisan effort to use data and research to build upon past successes and evaluate current challenges.

“Participation in this task force provides an opportunity to assess the treatment of youth who come in contact with the criminal justice system and ultimately to improve the lives of Pennsylvania youth and families,” Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Saylor said.

“I look forward to recommendations from this task force that right-size our juvenile justice system and use the best evidence available to ensure taxpayer investments are yielding the public safety results our communities deserve,” Speaker of the House Mike Turzai said.

The members of the task force, to be appointed by the three branches of state government, will represent a wide range of stakeholder groups that include legislators, law enforcement, judges, district attorneys and public defenders. Over the next year, the group

will assess the state’s system and review data from court and state agencies, gather input from diverse stakeholders, and examine how current practices can better align with research about what works best to improve youth outcomes.

“This issue touches every corner of our Commonwealth,” House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) added.

“Ensuring our juvenile justice system rehabilitates our youngest offenders not only helps create a positive path for them, but also strengthens families, protects communities and promotes long-term benefits to all of us.”

“Better outcomes in Pennsylvania’s juvenile justice system will pay dividends for decades to come,” House Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny/ Westmoreland) said. “It’s

hard work but the effort is well worth it.”

“Juvenile justice is an important issue to get right,” Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-25) said. “I am honored to stand with Pennsylvania’s leaders to make sure we are putting our resources toward what we know works best to keep families strong and put youth back on a law-abiding path.”

“We must work together across party lines and across the branches of government to make sure Pennsylvania is doing all that it can for our young people,” Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D-43) said. “This task force will pursue a consensus-based, data-driven process to achieve our goal.”

The task force will receive technical assistance from The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Crime and Justice Institute.

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019

Chester County Press

Sports

Section

B WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019

Learning best by teaching: Kennett football program soars to new heights in 2019

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer It is a little more than one hour’s drive from Cheltenham to Kennett Square, and late in the evening of Nov. 15, Kennett head football coach Lance Frazier boarded a bus that would take him, his players and his coaches, back home.

Frazier sat beside his offensive coordinator and long-time mentor Ray Bias. They discussed the team’s 42-20 loss that night to top-seeded Cheltenham in the District I 5A semifinals, and as the bus rolled past Wyncote, Plymouth Meeting and King of Prussia, Frazier and Bias scrolled through a series of self-critical What Ifs?: What if we executed better on offense?

What if we capitalized on their mistakes?

What if we passed the ball more?

What if we ran more?

As the team bus veered onto Route 202 south and eventually returned to Kennett Square, Frazier’s thoughts shifted from second-guessing to quiet reflection. His mind rolled back the game film on the freshly-concluded season, one that had led Kennett to a 9-1 record in the Ches-Mont, an 11-2 overall record, a semifinal appearance in the District playoffs, and the stunning and spectacular arrival of a football program that some believed would never come.

“The competitor in me was looking at what we could have done better to win that game,” Frazier said recently at the weight room facility at Kennett High School. “At the end of the day, you come up with the belief that the guys on the other side of the field were a pretty good football team, and they were the number one seed for a reason.

“In the back of my mind, however, I was thinking about how far we had come as a program – as an entire team of coaches and players and community – and the amount of joy and pride that I had, and the feeling of being the proud coach and father to my son, Kalen.”

A quick fly-over of Kennett’s 2019 season serves as a highlight reel of a program that was resurrected in 2005, recorded some competitive seasons, but otherwise sputtered for years in a revolving door of coaches and community disinterest.

What began on Aug. 23 with a 36-14 win against Oxford soon became a whirlwind of success that included wins over Chichester, Bayard Rustin and a 27-13 defeat of Unionville on Sept. 13 – the first victory over the Indians in school history.

Save for a 43-14 loss at East High School on Oct. 4, the regular season continued unblemished, with victories over Sun Valley and Henderson, and shutouts of Great Valley and St. Mark’s to end the regular season with an 8-1 record and a place near the top of the Ches-Mont American.

Seeded fourth in the PIAA District I Class 5A playoffs, the Blue Demons blew past Chichester, 31-0 on Nov. 1 in the opening round, and on a frigid night on Nov. 8, they recorded a 20-14 overtime win against Strath Haven in the district quarterfinals.

On Nov. 15, in the parking lot at Kennett High School, fans packed tight into three buses for the ride to Cheltenham.

It was a season filled with stars and playmakers: running back Garrett Cox, who fin-

ished his senior year as the Blue Demons’ all-time leading rusher; junior quarterback Sam Forte, who engineered a well-balanced offense; sophomore wide receiver Kalen Frazier, who simply outran his opponents to his receptions; receivers Zack Good and Tommy Patrissi, who snagged crucial catches that kept drives alive; and the steady foot of kicker Ryan Barker, whose accuracy led to several timely field goals.

They weren’t alone. Ask any coach of any successful team sport and he or she will say that while it is right to give credit to the team’s playmakers, the real reason for their success has nearly everything to do with the play of a team’s so-called “warriors,” an often overlooked group that are referred to in football terms as “the guys in the trenches.”

All season long, Forte had time to find his receivers and Cox was given holes to run through because of the work of center John Colamarino, guards Sam Davidson and Shawn Carroll, and tackles Matt O’Keefe and James Freeberry.

On defense, this same group was joined by Buzzy Hertz, Vincent Cresci and others to form a big blue wall that shut down nearly every offensive drive all season.

All season long, they stood down offensive and defensive lines who were far taller, far heavier and outranked them in natural ability.

“When I got here in 2018, one of my coaches told me, ‘Coach Frazier, we have a junior varsity line. These guys have not taken one varsity snap, and they’re undersized.’

Fast forward to this year, and these guys worked harder than anybody. The guys who have the most passion on our team are those guys. It goes back to where they envisioned themselves being as high school football players.

“These kids never thought they’d be big enough or athletic enough, but it was their will to seize their opportunity.

They used their five-eight, one sixty-five frames against six-five dudes who were two fifty and gave it all they had.

They’re our fighters.”

“You could say [the 2019 season] was ‘Right place, right time,’” said Forte. “We really had a lot of skill players and a lot of guys in the trenches as well, but we all just believed that we could win, and that stems from Coach Frazier and our staff. They had the best game plans that you could imagine, and they were also great personal coaches, as well.

When that happens, it brings you closer as a team.”

It was a fully inclusive team, too. Katie LaCosta, who also played on the girls’ soccer team, served as the team’s back-up kicker; and Ryan Wright split time between the football team and the school’s marching band, lining up in formation with his fellow band members while in his football uniform.

“When we open the door to every young player who wants or needs to be a part of the program, we truly become a welcoming community,” Frazier said. “In the end, it’s not about us coaches. It’s about them. If that kid needs us, then come on in.”

The Rustin loss in 2018 While Kennett’s success in 2019 is fully deserving of its accolades, ask any coach or player who was on the team during the 2018 season to pinpoint the moment when the program turned around and

they will likely give the same answer.

The loss against Rustin.

Frazier, formerly an associate in the school’s library and now the administrative assistant to Athletic Director Sean Harvey, was hired in 2018 as the team’s new head football coach. His resume and football experience positively glowed: After a four-year career as a cornerback at West Virginia University, Frazier had a nineyear professional career that included stops with the Green Bay Packers, the Baltimore Ravens, the Dallas Cowboys, the Seattle Seahawks’ NFL Europe franchise the Cologne Centurions and six seasons in the Canadian Football League.

When he walked onto the Kennett practice field to see his team for the first time, Frazier saw a group of teenagers who were both enthusiastic and undisciplined – wild horses whose energy needed to be channeled. On the other side of the ball, the players were both hopeful of Frazier’s arrival, and slightly suspicious; the team had burned through a series of coaches in the past few seasons, and while they aimed to impress Frazier, they silently wondered if he was just the latest in a series of oneyear commitments.

“I saw a group of guys who wanted the 2018 season to work out so badly,” Frazier said. “I could feel the letdown of the past seasons, the pain of being given up on by coach after coach after coach. Slowly, though, I began to believe that they felt like I would be the coach who will stick around and care for them.”

Rather than attempt to puncture the wall with just play formations, Frazier and his coaching staff set out to develop relationships, not just players.

“We needed to teach these guys how to compete, and teach them how to play the game correctly,” he said. “You begin by valuing them as people. I encouraged my staff to understand the power of relationships with young people.

They had to have the same mindset when it came to developing young men.

“We were able to grasp onto what we were teaching them simply by how we were able to make them feel, how we talked to them and how we approached our job in terms of doing what’s best for them.

Then we saw them begin to believe in themselves.”

“We had been waiting for that coach to help send us on our way to success,” said Forte, whose brother Luke was a four-year member of the team. “Everyone in Chester County just found out this season how good Garrett Cox is, but the rest of the team has known since the seventh grade that Garrett was a beast, and that guys like Vincent Cresci and Tommy Parissi could play at a high level, but we needed someone like Coach Frazier to allow us to realize that we can even be better than we thought we could be.

“He kept telling us, ‘You will be successful, but let me show you how successful you can be.’ The coaching staff helped Coach Frazier get us further than we had ever imagined.”

The 2018 season began with a 0-4 record, and during halftime of the Rustin game, Kennett was down 20-0. In a despondent locker room, Frazier looked for anything that would cause a spark to ignite his team.

He found it in the make-up of his senior players.

“The senior guys would

Photos by Richard L. Gaw

Running back Garrett Cox set the Kennett football career rushing record in this, his senior year.

The stands at Kennett Stadium were packed this season, in support of a revitalized football program.

not allow that locker room to quit,” he said. “They told their teammates, ‘Guys, we are this close.’ You have to know that these were the guys who would be in tears after our early losses, but they would not allow this team to shut down.”

The Blue Demons mounted a furious second-half effort that left them just short of a victory, but after the game, instead of allowing the team to return to the locker room, Frazier kept the team on the field, and told them to turn their attention to a jubilant Rustin team on the other side of the stadium.

“I told them ‘You saw what just happened?’” he said. “I told them ‘Remember this, because we’re going to go to Sun Valley next week, and we’re gonna kick their butts.’”

The next week, Kennett defeated Sun Valley, 35-14.

The 2018 team embarked on a winning streak, finished with a record of 4-6 and earned an entry in the District I 5A playoffs.

The Kennett High School football program had officially begun.

“After the Sun Valley win, we went 4-2, and lost to a tough Unionville team by three points and beat Great Valley, when no one thought we would beat them,” Cox recalled. “We began to get used to winning, and I firmly believe that winning is a habit.

“The season meant a lot to the seniors especially, because it was nice to have a coach to be with us for a year or two, because we never had that before,” Cox added. “We began to play not only for ourselves, but for our coaches. The team has all been with each other since we were very little, so we all have stuck together, and 2019 was the year when we finally realized that we could do something special, so we went out there and played with our heart.”

‘We learn best by teaching’ There is a well-marked white board in the training room at Kennett High School that is smudgy with players’ names, Xs and Os and various strategies – an inked-up spitball of ideas for Frazier and his coaches to use.

In the common vernacular of sports-lingo, one lingering quote will follow Kennett’s football program from this season to the pre-season summer camps in 2020: “You

Kennett High School football coach Lance Frazier with his son Kalen, who was a sophomore wide receiver on this year’s 11-2 team.

are only as good as your last performance,” leading to the presumption that at some point in the near future, Frazier will wipe the white board clean of all references to this past season, and start all over.

“We have been so focused on how to build a program, we have to figure out how to do what a championship football team does,” he said. “We spend a great deal of time defining what that looks like, and a large part of our jobs as coaches are getting our guys to understand what winning programs do. We know football, but it doesn’t matter how much we know if they can’t receive it from us.

It’s our main priority to present ourselves to these men and tell them who we are.”

From 2006 to 2012, Frazier was a cornerback for the Saskatchewan Rough Riders in the Canadian Football League.

For three of those seasons, he played under defensive coordinator Gary Etcheverry, whose coaching style, Frazier said, thrived on the minimal.

Playbooks were forbidden at meetings. Players were expected to memorize the defensive formations simply by what he was showing them on the chalkboard and on the practice field.

At first, Frazier thought Etcheverry’s tactics were high-schoolish, but he eventually latched on to Etcheverry’s

message, which made the Roughriders’ defense among the best in the CFL, and led to two Grey Cup finals.

“He always used to tell us, ‘We learn best by teaching,’” Frazier said. “His style of preparation prepared me for this job more than anyone else. He always believed in a simple-minded approach that stressed no materials. He taught his defense that we’re forced to communicate with each other on the field, and it forced us to remain on the same page. It forced us to our own responsibilities.

“With this principle, I’m teaching my teammate what I have learned, and I’m also teaching him what he’s responsible for, and before I can do what I need to do, I need to know what he knows.”

It’s a philosophy Frazier continues to bring to the weight room, the practice field, to Kennett Stadium and opposing team’s fields, and yes, to the white board.

“The culture is strongly in place here,” he said. “As we prepare for next season, we want to be in a position where we can grow and tweak this program to the point where we can say, ‘This is Kennett football.”

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@ chestercounty.com.

The 2019 Kennett High School Football Coaching Staff Ray Bias, offensive coordinator Wayne Bruhn, special teams and linebackers coordinator Nelson Drew, running backs and linebackers coordinator Lance Frazier, head coach, defensive backs and wide receivers coordinator

Scott Gee, defensive coordinator Will Hendle, quarterbacks and cornerbacks coordinator Jermaine Richardson, offensive/defensive line coordinator John Salvatore, offensive and defensive line coordinator

2B

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019

Chester County Press

Obituaries NANCY E. DAWSON

Nancy E. Toms Gyles Patrick Dawson, 81, of Oxford, passed away on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Ware Presbyterian Village in Oxford.

Nancy was the wife of Richard Dawson.

She was born in Philadelphia to Fredrick and Elizabeth Toms and adopted by Barkley and Blanche Gyles of Rising Sun, Md. Nancy was raised in the Rising Sun area.

She was a member of Rising Sun Seventh Day Adventist Church in Rising Sun. Nancy loved to sing and was proud that she was a certified nursing assistant at Ware Presbyterian Village when it first opened as Oxford Manor.

She loved people and this world is a little dimmer with her passing. She now sleeps waiting for the Lord’s return.

She was survived by her husband; three children, Ladonna Patrick of FL, John Patrick of NC and Michael Dawson of MD; five grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

A graveside service was held on Dec. 13 at Brookview Cemetery in Rising Sun, Md. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to a charity of your choice.

Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

MARY E. TRAINA

Mary E. Greer Traina, 85, of Kirkwood, passed away on Dec. 7, surrounded by her family.

Mary was born in Oxford, where she met her husband, the late, John G. Morrison.

She was a very hard working, kind, generous and compassionate person.

She was a great cook and always had either a crochet hook or puzzle in progress.

She is survived by two sons, James L. Sampson and his wife, Debra (Dyer) and Carl R. Traina; one daughter, Lori M. Kelley and her husband, David of Oxford; five grandchildren; Shannon Sampson, Stacey Sampson, Jamie Sampson, Adam Kelley and Sarah Kelley.

Mary was predeceased by her husband, John G. Morrison, one son, Donald Sampson and two sisters, Virginia Dean and Carolyn Loving.

Funeral services were held on Dec. 14 at Union Presbyterian Church in Kirkwood.

Interment was in Union Cemetery in Kirkwood.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, PO Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142, or at www. stjude.org.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

GRACE KATHERINE RASMUSSEN

William J. Turner

120 Doe Lane, Kennett Square, PA 19348

302-760-3190

wjt4th@outlook.com sipplemonuments.com

Grace Katherine Rasmussen, 94, of West Grove, formerly of Wilmington, Del., passed away on Dec. 10 at Jennersville Hospital, West Grove.

She was the wife of the late Robert Duane Rasmussen with whom she shared 60 years of marriage.

Born in Tsingtao, China she was the daughter of the late George C. and Liza Maher Bruce.

She was a member of the First Unitarian Church, Wilmington, Del. Grace was employed with New Castle County Department of Public Works as an engineering draftsman retiring in 1993.

She enjoyed music, playing the piano, reading mystery stories and Egyptology.

She is survived by one son, Keith D. Rasmussen and his wife, Maria C. Rasmussen of Newark, Del.; one daughter, Liza Golter and her husband, Brian D. Golter of Avondale; five grandchildren, Samuel A. Rasmussen, Thomas S. Rasmussen, Jake A. Golter, Nicholas A. Golter and Benjamin D. Golter; two nephews, David Bruce and Glenn Bruce; and one niece, Elizabeth Hay. She is preceded in death by one brother, George Bruce; one sister, Constance Bruce; and one niece, Constance Bruce.

Services will be held at a later date.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., Oxford.

Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

Alleluia My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.

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GENE HUGHES

Gene Hughes, 82, of Oxford, passed away on Dec. 5 at Christiana Hospital in Newark, Del. while surrounded by his family.

Born in Poplar, NC he was the son of the late Carson and Bonnie Peterson Hughes.

He worked in housekeeping for 15 years at Pocopson Nursing Home and

retired in 2012.

Gene was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and friend. He had a heart of gold and a smile that would light up any room.

He greeted everyone with warmth and had a genuine caring nature, and because of that he was loved by everyone who knew him.

He is survived by his six children, Vickie Mathers (Chris) of Oxford, Michael Hughes (Suzanne)of Avondale, James Hughes (Tammy), Robert Hughes, Christina Phillips all of Oxford and Tim Hughes (Carrie) of Nottingham; twentyseven grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren; one brother, Morris Hughes; and four sister, Joyce Johnson, Geneva Noblit, Doris Horton and Edna Guy. He was preceded in death by his wife Barbara Harper Hughes of 43 years; one brother, Alfred Hughes; and one sister, Mary Tracy.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. on Dec. 11 at the Edward L. Collins Funeral Home, Inc. Interment was in Union Hill Cemetery, Kennett Square.

Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

ELSIE M. GROSECLOSE

Elsie M. Cochran Groseclose, 95, of Oxford passed away on Dec. 11 at Jenners Pond in West Grove.

She was preceded in death by her husband, G. Ferman Groseclose, with whom she shared 57 years of marriage.

Born in Oxford on March 6, 1924, she was the daughter of the late Theodore Roosevelt Cochran and Essie Sumner Cochran.

A graduate of Oxford Area High School, Elsie held multiple retail jobs and worked for Penn Fuel Gas as a secretary before becoming a full-time homemaker. She was also a life member of the Oxford Church of the Nazarene.

The oldest of six sisters, Elsie always welcomed friends and family in her kitchen, as the Groseclose household was the home of many baseball games, auto repair projects and family gatherings. Whether she was known as Mom, Aunt Elsie, Mrs. Groseclose or Mom-mom, everyone was taken care of when they visited.

She is survived by two sons, Larry F. Groseclose (Joan) of Oxford and Carl J. Groseclose (Mollie) of East Waterford, Pa.; three sisters, Helen Holcombe of Jennersville, Jean Root of Jennersville and Terri Hadley of Dover, Del.; four grandchildren, Matthew G. Groseclose of Oxford, Mark W. Groseclose of Oxford, Mollie I. Kilby of Rising Sun, Md., and Chris W. Burton of Rising Sun, Md.; three great-grandchildren, John Andrew Kilby, Sarah Irene Kilby and Tyler William Burton; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by two sisters, Evelyn Vaughn of Wilmington, Del. and Theodora Standt of Hobe Sound, FL. Funeral services were held on Dec. 16 at the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., 86 Pine St., Oxford.

Interment was in Oxford Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Oxford Church of the Nazarene, 116 E Locust St, Oxford, PA 19363 Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

3B

Chester County Press

Obituaries VINCENT E. SGRO

Vincent E. Sgro passed away on Dec. 8 at Riddle Hospital.

He was born on Dec. 20, 1940 in Upper Darby, Pa. and was a resident of Chadds Ford, Pa. He is survived by his loving wife Patricia M. Sgro and son Matthew Sgro.

A memorial service will be celebrated on Friday, Dec. 20 at 11 a.m. at Kuzo Funeral Home, 250 W. State Street, Kennett Square.

GEORGIANA F. ERBRECHT

Georgiana Frances Erbrecht, 80, of Nottingham, formerly of Upper St. Clair, Pa., passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Dec. 15 at Calvert Manor Healthcare Center in Rising Sun, Md. She was the beloved wife of the late John Ronald Erbrecht.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pa., she was the daughter of the late George R. and Anne M. Dernovsek Chappel.

Georgiana graduated with a fine arts degree in graphic design from Carnegie Institute of Technology and received her master’s degree in art education from the University of Pittsburgh.

She was employed as a substitute teacher in the South Hills area of Pittsburgh where she was loved by all of her students. She also worked with her husband at Erbrecht Consulting Services in Bridgeville, Pa. She was a member of Sacred Heart Church and formerly a member of Holy Child Parish, Bridgeville.

An accomplished artist, Georgiana’s passion was painting abstract flowers on canvas with acrylics.

She was a devoted daughter, wife, mother and grandmother.

She is survived by two sons, Brooke Erbrecht (Teresa) of Canonsburg, Pa. and Ted Erbrecht of Greenville, SC; one daughter, Lauren Chesson (Greg) of Nottingham, eight grandchildren, Taylor Champagne Buelna, Jared Erbrecht, Ronnie (Elanna), Gregory and Teddy Chesson, John, Luke, and Tony Erbrecht; and two great-grandchildren, Thalia and Julian Buelna.

She was preceded in death by a brother, George Gene Chappel.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 23, at Sacred Heart Church, 203 Church Rd., Oxford, where friends may visit from 10 to 10:45 a.m.

Interment will be private.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., Oxford.

SHIRLEY A. JOSEPH

Shirley Ann (Twyford) Joseph passed away on Dec. 2 at Rosewood Gardens Rehabilitation & Nursing Center.

She was 89.

Shirley was born on Oct. 3, 1930 in West Grove, and was the only daughter of Margaret Lauffer Twyford and Charles Twyford, She grew up in the Oxford area, graduating with honors from Oxford High School in 1948. Her education after high school was at Franklin & Marshall College and the Philadelphia Club of Advertising Women.

Shirley was a born achiever and hard worker in everything she did in life, whether she was working as an editor, playing basketball, performing in theater, or participating on the debate team. She was an editor for the “Oxford News” after high school. Other work experience included advertising for the “Sunday News” in Lancaster, serving as assistant advertising manager for the New Holland Machine Co., and then working as traffic manager for an advertising agency, The Ullman Organization from 1955 to 1958. It was here where she met her husband of 57 years, Edward G. Joseph. Shirley and Ed, after marrying in 1958, moved to the suburbs of Philadelphia where Shirley remained at home to raise her two children.

Shirley’s other interests outside of work were taking on the role of president of the Lancaster, Pa. chapter of Venture, an international club for professional women, while at the same time serving as publicity director of the club’s North Atlantic Region.

Her talents included acting, singing, and drawing, and she was a member of the Octoraro Art Association. She also loved to play basketball, tennis, golf, swim, and to bowl to stay fit.

Shirley’s favorite hobby was sewing, a talent she learned from her mother. She enjoyed creating beautiful outfits in her young adulthood and had a true appreciation for fabrics and style. She enjoyed fashion and wearing the latest fashions and always dressed with quality and good taste. Flipping through “Vogue” was one of many favorite pastimes, along with doing some side modeling as needed.

It was her relentless devotion to her family where she really made the most impact. Her love for her roles as mother and wife was never-ending.

In addition to her parents, Shirley was predeceased by her husband in 2015. She is survived by her daughter, Suzanne L. Joseph Roberge, and her granddaughter Lydia S. Roberge of Portland, Me., and her son Scott G. Joseph of Broomall, Pa. The Joseph Family would like to direct any memorial contributions in Shirley’s name to the Oxford Veterinary Hospital, LLC, 2227 Baltimore Pike, Oxford, Pa 19363, due to her passion and love of God’s creatures and any condolences can be done online through www.ruffenachfuneralhome.com.

STANLEY W. HALSEY

Stanley W. Halsey, 86, of Nottingham, passed away on Dec. 11, 2019 at Twin Pines Health Care Center, West Grove.

He was the son of the late John Kent and Mary Millerd Johnston Halsey.

Stanley lived in Southern Chester County all of his life.

He is survived by three brothers, Marvin Halsey of Nottingham, Edwin Halsey of Oxford and Roland Halsey of Glasgow, Del.; and two sisters, Delores Halsey of Newark, Del. and Mary Halsey-Connell of Summit, Del. He was preceded in death by one brother, Kermit Stanley and one sister, Juanita Halsey Jones.

Funeral services were on Dec. 14 at the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., in Oxford.

Interment was in Oxford Cemetery.

Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

Obituary submissions The Chester County Press publishes obituaries, free of charge, for those with a connection to southern Chester County. Obituaries appear on the Wednesday after they are received, space permitting. They also are posted on www.chestercounty. com. Photos should be sent as .jpg attachments to the obituary text. To submit an obituary to the Chester County Press, email the information to: editor@chestercounty.com.

chestercounty.com ONLINE ALL THE TIME NEWS • SCHOOLS ENTERTAINMENT • BUSINESS SPORTS • HOME & GARDEN

4B

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019

Chester County Press

Legals

PUBLIC NOTICE

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, CIVIL ACTION – EQUITY, No. 2019-03305-RC, RAYMOND ZOOK : Plaintiff,v., Unknown Owners Of Parcel 6-8-151, Defendant(s). ,TO UNKNOWN PRIOR OWNERS OF PARCEL ID No. 6-8-151 in Oxford Borough, Chester County, Pennsylvania:You are hereby notified that on April 4, 2019, Plaintiff RAYMOND ZOOK filed a Quiet Title Action against you in the Court of Common Pleas of CHESTER County, Pennsylvania. Plaintiff requests the

court to rule that he is the rightful owner of Parcel No. 6-8-151 located on South Third Street in Oxford Borough, Chester County, Pennsylvania and that Defendant(s) have no estate, right, title or interest in said property. NOTICE, If you wish to defend, you must enter a written appearance personally or by attorney and file your defenses or objections in writing with the court.

You are warned that if you fail to do so the case may proceed without you and a judgment may be entered against you without further notice for the relief requested by the plaintiff. You may

lose money or property or other rights important to you. YOU SHOULD TAKE THIS PAPER TO YOUR LAWYER AT ONCE. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A LAWYER, GO TO OR TELEPHONE THE OFFICE SET FORTH BELOW. THIS OFFICE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION ABOUT HIRING A LAWYER. IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO HIRE A LAWYER, THIS OFFICE MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION ABOUT AGENCIES THAT MAY OFFER LEGAL SERVICES TO ELIGIBLE PERSONS AT A REDUCED FEE OR NO FEE..

Lawyer Referral Service, Chester County Bar Association, 15 West Gay Street, Second Fl, , West Chester, PA 19380, 610-692-1889 11p-27-4t

ESTATE NOTICE

ESTATE OF DANIEL MICHAEL NOVOSEL, DECEASED. Late of NOTTINGHAM Township, Chester County, PA, LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to REBECCA SALLEN, ESQ. ADMINISTRATOR, 325 MERION ROAD, MERION STATION, PA 19066, ATTORNEY NAME REBECCA SALLEN, ESQ., SALLEN LAW, LLC, 325 MERION ROAD, MERION STATION, PA 19066 12p-4-3t

ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of Arnold H Reeves Late of Landenberg, Franklin Twp, Chester County PA, LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to David Reeves 331 W. Biddle St. West Chester, PA 19380, Executor, 12p-4-3t

ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of Philip E. Bannan, DECEASED, Late of West Chester, Willistown Twp, Chester County PA, LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the

undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to Lisa Christensen, Executrix, C/O Anne DeLuca, Law Offices of Sand Gibbs, LLP, 3475 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square, PA 19073.

12p-4-3t

ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of, Richard E. Phillips, DECEASED, Late of Lower Oxford Township , Chester County PA, LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay, Bruce Fite, Executor, C/O Attorney: Ira D. Binder, 227 Cullen Rd, Oxford, PA 19363 12p-4-3t

NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION

Pursuant to the requirements of section 1975 of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988, notice is hereby given that Meade Appliance Service, Inc. is currently in the process of voluntarily dissolving. D. Barry Pritchard, Jr., Esq., 516 DeKalb Street, Norristown, PA 19401 12p-18-1t

INCORPORATION NOTICE

Everyday Enterprises, Inc., 803 Penn Green Rd., Landenberg, PA 19350.

Notice is hereby given that Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Department of State of the Common

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Cumberland Truck Equipment Co. (CTE), one of the largest privately-held distributors of heavy-duty truck parts in the midAtlantic region, has an immediate opening for a local, full time Delivery Driver, driving a delivery van, at our Nottingham Branch location, 470 West Christine Road, Nottingham, PA 19362 (610) 932-1152. Position is 1st shift, Monday-Friday.

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PUBLIC NOTICE:

Notice is hereby given that the Board of Supervisors of London Grove Township, during its reorganization meeting on January 6, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. at the London Grove Township Municipal Building, 372 Rose Hill Road, West Grove, PA 19390, will consider the enactment of a tree ordinance with the following title and summary. AN ORDINANCE OF LONDON GROVE TOWNSHIP, CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, TO AMEND THE LONDON GROVE TOWNSHIP CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ADOPTING A NEW CHAPTER 17 TITLED, “TREE REGULATIONS” WHICH ESTABLISH A TREE COMMITTEE; IDENTIFY THE MEMBERSHIP, TERM OF OFFICE, PURPOSE AND DUTIES OF SUCH COMMISSION; DEFINE AND ADOPT SPECIFIC REGULATIONS FOR STREET TREES AND PARK TREES; REQUIRE A PERMIT PRIOR TO WORK ON A STREET TREE OR PARK TREE WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP; AND TO PROVIDE FOR ENFORCEMENT OF THE ORDINANCE. The proposed ordinance is available for public inspection during regular business hours at London Grove Township Municipal Building, 372 Rose Hill Road, West Grove, PA, the Chester County Law Library, West Chester, PA and the Chester County Press, 144 S. Jennersville Road, West Grove, PA, 19390, Kenneth Battin, Township Manager 12p-18-2019

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

5B

6B

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019

Chester County Press

Calendar of Events Through Jan. 5 ‘A Longwood Christmas’ “A Longwood Christmas” will be on display at Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square) through Jan. 5. This year’s holiday display is inspired by the contours of traditional holiday favorites, such as poinsettias, pinecones and snowflakes, as well as shapes unique to Longwood.

The exhibition Hall holds a 400-foot-long ribbon entwined with giant ornaments, nestled among trees, culminating in a towering Christmas tree decorated in red, gold and silver ornaments. Daily concerts and themed light and fountain shows are scheduled.

More than half a million lights are on the trees outside. Admission is by timed admission ticket, purchased in advance for a specific date and time. Members require free, timed reservations every day if arriving after 2 p.m. Gardens Premium Members do not require reservations. Tickets and reservations are available at www.longwoodgardens.org.

Through Jan. 1 Herr’s light display Herr Foods Inc. (20 Herr Drive, Nottingham) opens its drive-through Christmas light display every day from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. through Jan. 1. Visit https://herrs.com/ visit-us/community-events or call 1-800-344-3777.

Through Jan. 5 ‘A Brandywine Christmas’ The magic of the holiday season returns to the Brandywine River Museum of Art (Route 1, Chadds Ford) during “A

Brandywine Christmas,” through Jan. 5. There will be a gallery filled with an expansive model train display; a special exhibition featuring a selection of three beloved fairy tales and their evolution through time and different cultures; towering trees decorated with whimsical Critter ornaments; and a wide selection of holiday events and programs for the whole family. The museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day). Admission is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors ages 65 and older, $6 for students and children ages 6 and older; free for children 5 and younger.

Visit www.brandywine.org/ museum Jan. 3 Book signings The Palette & The Page gallery will host book signings with authors Gwen Davis and Karin Harrison on Friday, Jan. 3. The event is part of the First Friday Elkton Art Loop event that takes place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Davis is a writer eager to tell a story. She was born in New Jersey, raised in Delaware, and finally settled in Maryland.

She has worked as a children’s librarian, story-teller, and is now retired after 31 years from the University of Delaware. Harrison was born in Germany but has lived in the United States for over fifty years. Leaving her successful career in the optical field to go back to college, she focused on becoming a writer, and her short stories have since been published in books of anthology, literary

journals, and online. She has authored five novels.

Meeting the authors is a free event. The Palette & The Page is located at 120 East Main Street in Elkton.

Jan. 26 Chocolate Lovers Festival The Kennett Chocolate Lovers Festival will be held on Jan. 26 at Unionville High School. Dozens of bakers will be competing for prizes, and offering tastings of their creations at the event. Proceeds benefit the United Way of Southern Chester County.

Tickets are on sale at www.

KennettChocolate.org. VIP ticket holders gain early entrance at noon. General admission opens at 1 p.m.

Additional tasting tickets are available.

Kennett Flash schedule The Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square) hosts regional and national artists. Tickets are available in advance at www.kennettflash.org, or at the door. Snacks and beverages are sold, or guests can BYOB. The schedule includes: Rise Twain and Valdez (Dec. 20, 8 p.m., $18 and $23); We Kids Rock Christmas (Dec. 21, 11:30 a.m., $12 and $15); Runnin’ Late Rock and Roll Christmas Jam (Dec. 21, 8 p.m., $16 and $20); Hometown Holiday with Lisa Jeanette, EB Hawkins, Todd Chappelle and Lori Citro (Dec. 22, 3 p.m., $15 and $20); Vinyl Artifacts with Olivia Swenson (Dec. 23, 8 p.m., $10 and $15); Jeffrey Gaines (Dec. 27, 8 p.m., $25); Steal Your Peach: Allman Brothers and Grateful Dead tribute (Dec.

28, 8 p.m., $18 and $23); Films & Words: Miles Davis Birth of the Cool with guest lecturer Matt Cappy (Dec. 29, 7 p.m., free); Steve Forbert and the

New Renditions Trio (Dec. e d i t o r @ c h e s t e rc o u n t y.

31, 7 and 9:30 p.m., $45 com. There is no charge. and $50).

Not every submission can be included. Items should To submit items to the be submitted at least two Calendar of Events, e-mail weeks before the event.

Holiday hospitality in New Garden

Courtesy photos

The spirit of giving was alive last weekend in New Garden Township when the township’s Public Works staff, township volunteers, students from Charles F. Patton Middle School and Kennett Area Community Services’ Kennett Food Cupboard volunteers prepared 500 boxes of holiday meals at the Township Maintenance Garage for distribution to local families. In addition, KACS provided hundreds of local children with free bicycles, toys and clothing.

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GREEN GRAZER GOATS Blooming Branch Farms Accepting clean, live trees to be recycled starting Dec 26 270 Kimble Road, Lincoln University Contact us @ Greengrazergoats.com or on Facebook Green Grazer Goats

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019