Letter to the Editor 01/31/2004

This year, because there is so much happening in the township these days, the Sadsbury Township Supervisors added a second regular monthly meeting to their schedules. Yet, at the same time, they reduced the number of Planning Commission members from nine to seven, after increasing that number from seven to nine in 2001 because of increased activity in the township. Apparently, they don’t need that many people on the Planning Commission any longer, even though recent and upcoming development stands to double the township’s 2000 population.

I think the real issue is that they don’t need Commission members they already know would challenge the plans the Board has for the township, plans that have not been aired at public meetings (including the fabled new “municipal complex”). The Supervisors needed to exclude two of the most qualified people in the township, whose terms on the Commission expired on December 31, 2003. One of those people was the Chairperson and an 8-year member of the Planning Commission, and the other was a former Township Supervisor and an 18-year member of the Commission. The current Supervisors already knew there would be a public outcry if these two people were not permitted to remain on the Commission for another term. So, instead of facing the public, they eliminated the positions entirely at a meeting that took place at 9 a.m.

That reminds me – aren’t a lot of people at work at 9:00 a.m.? Do you think the Supervisors scheduled meetings at that time so most residents would be unable to attend the meetings, and the Board could make decisions with little public discussion or debate? Then they could publish the minutes on the Township website 6 months later, as was typical in 2003. I’ve checked, and the vast majority of townships in Chester County conduct all of their Supervisors meetings in the evening when most people are NOT at work. I guess those would be the townships that welcome public debate and value the opinions of township residents.

Victoria Horan

Sadsburyville

©Daily Local News 2004 

Reader Opinions: 

Name: Lem Mason

Date: January 31, 2004

Maybe because the local developer who has a few projects pending is allowed to bypass the planning commission stage altogether, they don't need the just terminated members??

No input needed for something that's been OK'ed already.

Far away from any public forum?

Even though a planning commission meeting is a very maddening and depressing affair, a certain amount of humor can be gotten by watching the newest developer "plant" on the board actually try to give the appearance that he has even a modicum of a clue as to what is going on and not taking cues from a certain anti-Sadsbury member when a vote comes up. Very funny.

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Last modified: 12/01/07