Letter: Kennett Township needs transparent supervisors

To The Editor:

The PA Sunshine Law clearly states, the actions and deliberations of municipal officials are public business. Passed in 1986/ amended in 1998, the Law’s purpose is to protect the rights of citizens to know what is occurring in their municipality and governing agencies.  In the preamble of the Sunshine Law is written  “openness keeps residents more informed and allows for increased public confidence in our governing bodies.”  Under the present slate of Chairman Falcoff and supervisors, I do not have this confidence.

Among my concerns with the current Kennett Supervisors are:

1. All three supervisors share a single office space behind a locked door system where non-public deliberation can occur easily, frequently, and unrestricted
2. Essentially, the so-called work sessions are where all the deliberations occur.  Note these work sessions constitute two of our three official monthly meetings and are held at 1 PM on Wednesdays when the working public effectively cannot attend.  In fact, in a partial review of past  minutes,  NO public was present during  the last six work sessions…..not one.  In the case of our neighboring New Garden Township, all public meetings are held on the 2^nd & 4^th Mondays @ 7:00 PM…..ie,  no so-called Work Sessions.
3. There is never open deliberation at the public monthly night meeting.  Instead a topic is announced, briefly explained and always carries a full vote of approval by all present supervisors….as if predetermined.
4. Both work session and public meetings minutes are extremely brief, never explaining opposing views or concerns, and are typically delayed for review by the public.
5. The Board even makes decisions that they never air at the monthly public meeting, such as raising their mileage reimbursement rate, accepting cash reimbursements for health care, etc

These concerns could be easily corrected, but the current Board have turned  a deaf ear to my frequent requests  during  the entire term of Mr Falcoff, current chairman of the Board of Supervisors.

What Kennett Township needs is fresh leadership willing to hold all supervisor meetings in the evening and openly deliberate all Township matters.  Scudder Stevens pledges to represent the voice for ALL Kennett and bring Sunshine back to the Township by allowing the public to witness the deliberation, policy formation and decision making within, and this is one reason why I’m going to vote for Scudder Stevens this November 8.

Shirley Campbell

Kennett Township resident