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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2023
Chester County Press
Local News experience in knowing the community, and trying to find some economies of Continued from Page 1A scale where we can work control of township expens- with other municipalities to es and continue to foster a help share costs. sense of community in a livable place for everybody Over the last several – not just the ultra-wealthy years, Kennett Township and bedroom commuters, was rocked by a scandal but for the people who own that threatened its finansmall businesses and work cial stability and severely in the community. damaged residents’ faith In my work with the in their local government. Planning Commission, I was In spite of the townable to help rewrite zon- ship’s improvement to its ing and create a Traditional accounting systems and Neighborhood Design code transparency, it’s a sento encourage affordable timent that still lingers. housing and livable commu- If you are elected to the nities in Kennett Township. board, how will you conI believe that was a very tinue to restore residents’ important and positive step confidence in their local toward creating a more liv- government? able community. Lucas: This issue is another reason why I am running. As you continue to cam- My wife and I moved here paign, what are leading four years ago, and our first topics of concern from the introduction to the townresidents you have met, ship was the theft of $3.2 and if elected, how will you million by Lisa Moore. We address those concerns? were flabbergasted that it Lucas: One of the major happened. ‘How could this points that comes up when happen and why?’ we asked. I speak with voters is the You could say that I don’t expenses that just seem to have any direct experience continue to increase at the managing a government, but township. The big expense I would counter by saying that is hitting us now is look- that it is my strongest offering at what we want to do ing. I am objective, I have with our police department. finance experience behind Several years ago, we didn’t me, and I also have the have a police department, then we added an officer and then two and now we have 9 officers and are making plans to expand the department to 14, perhaps 16 people. I am a strong supporter of the police, and I want to have a safe community, but I think that we need On Nov. 7, Chester to take this to the voters and County voters will decide let them decide the future of on majority control of our police department. the three-person Board of A few years ago, they had Commissioners on Election a referendum on open space. Day, as Democratic incumI think we need to do the bents Marian Moskowitz same thing now. Let’s take and Josh Maxwell are it to the voters of Kennett seeking re-election, while Township and let them the Republican Party has decide whether we want to turned to Eric Roe and maintain a full-time police David C. Sommers in the force, or explore other bid to win back the majoroptions. ity on this board. Roe, a I’m here to listen; what- former state representative ever the voters want to do, for Pennsylvania’s 158th I’ll do it, but let’s ask the House District, is a familiar voters first. Having a ref- face for many in the county. erendum would be a good Republicans held an iron way to get that input from grip on county governvoters. We need to invite ment for generations until experts involved with police Democrats successfully operations, in order to make flipped all the county execuan informed choice about it. tive and row offices over the Muller: I have knocked course of the last two elecon a lot of doors and many tion cycles in which those people have told me that seats were contested. The they love the open space results of the Tuesday, Nov. and that everything is fine, 7 election will determine if but the people who have Democrats retain the majorexpressed their concerns ity for four more years, to me are those on a fixed or if the Republicans can income. The fact that what quickly reclaim majority comes in from social securi- control. Michelle Kichline, ty and other pension income the incumbent Republican is a fixed number that will County Commissioner, never change is concerning. decided not to seek another There are some who have term. expressed concerns about Chester County will have township spending, and I a new District Attorney in have told them that it’s a 2024. Incumbent District balancing act, because we Attorney Deb Ryan is are who we are: We need seeking to be a Chester fire and EMS coverage. We County Court of Common need police coverage. What Pleas judge. In the District I hope to bring to the board Attorney’s race, Ryan L. is my experience in banking Hyde is the Republican and finance to help rein in nominee, while Christopher spending and my creative de Barrena‐Sarobe is the
Kennett Township...
accountability that my military background gives me. The role I had in the military was that of a company commander, and I was held accountable for everything in that unit – to review and hold others accountable. I want the voters to know that I am an expert at budgets, income statements and expenses and that I have the experience to hold the township accountable for what’s happening here. Muller: Marketing and messaging are my strong suits, and one of the unwritten jobs of being a supervisor is serving as a cheerleader and advocate. As a supervisor, I will continue to be vocal and supportive of the amazing work that people like [Finance and Human Resource Director] Amy Heinrich and [township Manager] Eden Ratliff and their staff are doing to build a better system of checks and balances. Now that the new financial infrastructure is in place, the township is in a position of being able to try to pare back spending, find economies of scale and find smarter and better ways of working. There are challenges facing the township, but I think as a supervisor, it’s important to celebrate the
Steve Lucas township and its accomplishments, the smartness of the decision-makers and the staff and respect the people who want to come to the table to express their concerns. Determining the financial path for a township is complicated, and the role of a supervisor is to take the vote, make the hard choices, be a true leader and celebrate the many things that Kennett Township does well, and there are who lot of things that this township does well. To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
Pat Muller
Steve Lucas Years in township: 4 Professional experience: Financial advisor, Engineer, Captain U.S. Army Township experience: None Media: None
Pat Muller Years in township: 6 Professional experience: Digital media marketing, economic development, commercial banking, non-profits Township experience: Planning Commission, Land Acquisition Advisory Committee (LCAC) Previous township experience: Past member of Kennett Township’s Environmental Advisory Commission (EAC) Media: www.patmullerforsupervisor
Dozens of local, county, and statewide races will be decided on Election Day
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Democratic nominee. Debbie Bookman is seeking another term as prothonotary, and she is being challenged by Republican nominee Michael Taylor. The register of wills contest is between the incumbent Democrat Michele Vaughn and challenger Republican Terri Clark. The Recorder of Deeds race is between Republican Brian Yanoviak and the Democratic incumbent Diane O’ Dwyer. With Chester County sheriff Fredda Maddox seeking to be a Chester County Court of Common Pleas judge, voters will elect a new sheriff. Kevin Dykes, currently the chief deputy sheriff, and a resident of East Marlborough Township, is the nominated Democrat for Sheriff. On the Republican side, Roy Kofroth is seeking become the new sheriff. He lives in West Bradford Township. The candidates who are seeking to become a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas are Dave Black, Andy Rongaus, Deb Ryan, BJ Redmond, Don Kohler, Nicole Forzato, Fredda Maddox, Thomas McCabe, Lou Mincarelli, and Sarah Black. Voters will select no more than five of these candidates on the ballot to fill the available positions that are up for election this year. There are a number of district magistrate positions up for election this year. Scott Massey is unopposed in his bid to win re-election as the district magistrate for Court
15-3-05. District judge Albert Iacocca is being challenged by Peter George Mylonas in the race to preside over District Court 15-3-04. There are a number of borough council races that will be decided on Election Day. In Oxford Borough, there are three candidates seeking four-year terms—Kathryn Cloyd, Raul Juarez-Lara, Jr., and Bill Fitzpatrick. Cloyd is the incumbent council president. JuarezLara, Jr., and Fitzpatrick were both appointed to fill vacancies on council so they already have experience on council. There is also a two-year unexpired term up for election this year, and incumbent Peggy Ann Russell is seeking to fill that term. The Avondale Borough Council candidates for two seats up for election are Paul Morgan and Lucas Ortiz, Jr. Eric King, Julie Hamilton, Joel Sprick, and James Miller are candidates vying for three seats on Kennett Square Borough Council. In West Grove Borough, there are four seats up for election. The candidates are Dan Knabb, Kristin Proto, Shelley Mix, William Temme, Jr., Andrew Martin Toolan, and Michael Ranieri.
Supervisor candidates
East Marlborough Township (Vote for two) Ellen Sosangelis Burling Vannote Jake Elks Danielle Chamberlain East Nottingham Township (Vote for two) Sam Goodley, Jr. John Wallace Elk Township (Vote for one) Albert Jezyk Franklin Township (Vote for one) Dawn Dowling Lynn Weber 2-year unexpired term (Vote for one) James German Betsy Odgers Kennett Township (Vote for one) Pat Muller Steven Lucas London Britain Township (Vote for one) Aileen Parrish Russell McKinnon London Grove Township (Vote for two) Michael Summerfield John Irwin David Connors Two-year unexpired term (Vote for one) Megan Mraz
Lower Oxford Township Many townships will be Kevin Martin electing supervisors in this election cycle. Here’s a list New Garden Township of many of the candidates (Vote for one) who will be on the ballot: Stephen Allaband New London Township (Vote for one) James Annett Dale Yates Penn Township (Vote for one) Carlton Snow Dwayne Degler
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West Nottingham Township (Vote for one) Ryan Sanders Candace Miller
School board races Here’s a list of the candidates who are on the ballot for the various school boards in southern Chester County: Avon Grove School District Region I (Vote for one) Dorothy Linn Greg Morgan Region II (Vote for two) Nick Taylor Jacquelene Smiro Kenneth Roark Region III (Vote for two) Bonnie Wolff Herman Engel Joseph Lake Oxford Area School District At-large (Vote for two) Jenifer Warren Lou Robinson Regina Hughes Mark Patterson Region I (Vote for one) Tenile Dewees Georgeanna Singley Region II (Vote for one) Brian Washburn Kaitlin Bell Region III (Vote for one) Debbie Vendrick Dee Wiker Kennett Consolidated School District Region A (Vote for two) Lenda Carillo Christopher Lafferty LaToya Myers Region B (Vote for two) Jay Snoke David Kronenberg Lynn Golden-Mirarchi Bryan Shrouds Region C (Vote for one) Michael Finnegan Michael Keane