Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 152, No. 2
INSIDE
60 Cents
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
An historic moment for Oxford Borough The borough has its first woman mayor and its first woman council president—at the same time
Two new supervisors join East Marlborough board By John Chambless Staff Writer
There were plenty of smiles and photo opportunities on Jan. 2 as Robert McKinstry and Julia Lacy took their places for the first time on the East A new owner takes the Marlborough Township reins of Mala Galleria in Board of Supervisors. Kennett Square...1B The two Democrats, who are replacing former Republican supervisors Robert Weer, Sr., and Eddie Caudill, were sworn in by Richard Hannum, Jr., who Photo by Steven Hoffman was himself re-elected as Some history was made at the Jan. 2 Oxford Borough Council meeting as Sue Lombardi (middle) was selected as council president—the first woman to ever board chairman for anoth-
er term. Also re-elected was John Sarro, who will serve another term as vice chairman. The board also voted to appoint a list of other positions for the township, including Laurie Prysock for another term as township manager, secretary and treasurer, and Robert Clarke for another term as police chief and emergency management coordinator. Several members of township boards and commissions were re-elected as well, solidifying the Continued on Page 2A
hold that office. Peggy Ann Russell (left) was selected as council vice president. Lorraine Bell (right) is the first woman mayor in the borough’s history.
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer It’s a new era for Oxford Octorara rallies to defeat Borough. Unionville in wrestling Lorraine Bell officially ...6A
became the first woman mayor in the borough’s history with the start of the new year. Then another historic moment came on Monday, Jan. 2 when Oxford Borough Council selected Sue Lombardi as the
New president named at Jennersville Hospital...8B
INDEX Opinion........................7A Obituaries...................2B Calendar of Events......3B
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council president—the first time that a woman has ever held that position in the borough. Lombardi is in her 11th year as a borough council member. Peggy Ann Russell was borough council’s choice to serve as the vice president for 2018. The votes on the leadership positions were both unanimous. It’s an historic moment for Oxford Borough, having women occupy the
offices of mayor, council president, and council vice president simultaneously. Some wondered whether this might be a first in Chester County. Borough resident Etha McDowell, who was in attendance at the meeting, expressed her pride in seeing the leadership positions all held by women. “I am thrilled at this historic first—it happened Continued on Page 2A
Elected officials take the oath of office Magisterial District Judge Scott Massey begins a new six-year term and seven supervisors are sworn in By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and that I will discharge the duties... with fedelity so help me God.” A group of more than 70 people were on hand at the Oxford District Court on Friday, Dec. 29 as Magisterial District Judge Scott A. Massey was sworn in for a sixyear term presiding over District Court 15-3-05. Chester County Court of Common Pleas Judge Allison Bell Royer handled the duties of swearing in Massey, who was elected to his second 6-year term in November. Once he was sworn in, Massey then administered
Photo by Steven Hoffman
Seven township supervisors—Charles Fleischmann (Upper Oxford Township), Samuel Goodley, Jr. (East Nottingham Township), Albert L. Jezyk, Jr. (Elk Township) Curtis Mason (Penn Township), Candice Miller (West Nottingham Township), Gerard Porter (New London Township), and William Winand (West Nottingham Township)--took the oath of office in the Oxford District Court.
the oath of office to seven local township supervisors, setting the stage for local municipal governments to reorganize for the start of a new year. The seven supervisors
who were officially sworn into office are Charles Fleischmann (Upper Oxford Township), Samuel Goodley, Jr. (East Nottingham Township), Continued on Page 5A
Robert McKinstry takes the oath at the Jan. 2 meeting of the East Marlborough Township Board of Supervisors.
Photos by John Chambless
Julia Lacy is sworn in as a new member of the East Marlborough Township Board of Supervisors.
Four Democrats sworn in as Chester County officials By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer The swearing-in of newly elected Chester County officials, always a dignified and respectful ceremony, has nonetheless been lacquered with a ho-hum sense of sameness, as Republican after Republican has been ushered into county positions for more than 200 years. At about 11:45 a.m. on the morning of Jan. 2, however, the Ballroom in the Sykes Student Union on the campus of West Chester University reflected a different vibe altogether, as nearly 250 filed in to witness the beginning of a changing political makeup in county government, as four Democrats were sworn in as county row officers: Patricia Maisano as Treasurer, Margaret Reif as Controller, Yolanda Van De Krol as Clerk of Courts and Dr. Christina Vandepol as Coroner. In addition to the four
County row seats, Bret Binder, John Hipple and Al Iococca were sworn in as Magisterial District Judges. After an opening invocation by Rev. Jonathan Hauze of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Exton, and a stirring performance of the “Star Spangled Banner” by Cpl. Wayne Johnson of the Chester County Sheriff’s Office, all four women took their oath of office, to huge applause from the audience. The event served as the touchstone to the election of last Nov. 7, when Maisano defeated Jack London by a vote of 57,318 to 49,453; Reif defeated incumbent Norman MacQueen 57,455 to 47,824; Van De Krol defeated former Clerk of Courts Robin Marcello 56,195 to 50,199; and Vandepol beat incumbent Dr. Gordon Eck, 57,584 to 48,866. None of the winning officials had any prior political experience coming into their respective Continued on Page 5A
Kennett Township holds organizational meeting By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer Just moments after he raised his right hand before Magisterial Judge Daniel Maisano to be sworn in to his second term as Kennett Township supervisor, Scudder Stevens was renamed as the board’s chairman, as the township kicked off its business for 2018 at an organizational meeting held on Jan. 2. Stevens, who was first elected to the board in 2012, ran unopposed this past November and was elected to his second term on the board. Stevens and
Hoffman join Dr. Richard Leff as members of the three-person board. Stevens was also appointed as the township’s voting delegate to the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors. Stevens, Hoffman and Leff were among the many names read by Township Manager Lisa Moore at the meeting, who have been appointed to various township departments and committees for 2018. “There a lot of names that have been read,” Stevens said. “These are your fellow residents, and there is a lot of work being done in the
township, and it’s because of people, like these, who are volunteering. It’s the oil that makes this township work.” The board also passed several resolutions for 2018, including setting its reimbursement rate for millage incurred by township officials; its consulting fee rate for all consultants who work with the township; and subdivision and land development application fees, conditional use application fees and building and permit fees. The board also passed the tax structure for the township Continued on Page 3A
State is missing marijuana taxes By Uncle Irvin As usual, the Pennsylvania General Assembly and our local lawmakers, Sen. Andrew Dinniman and Representatives John Lawrence and Eric Roe, have their collective heads in the sand. Just when Pennsylvania has legalized medical marijuana, eight other states, including California, have legalized recreational cannabis in any form, to any adult. And they are reaping huge tax revenues! A winery in California is making and selling a red wine laced with cannabis for $50 a bottle, which will enhance California’s state treasury with a vice tax, not a property tax or income sales tax. Continued on Page 3A