Letter to the Editor: East Vincent Township Votes to Break Yet Another Regional Contract

The following is a letter sent in by the Concerned Citizens of East Vincent [CCOEV]:

In February 2009, East Vincent Township entered into a contractual obligation through the vote of the Board of Supervisors (2-1) to accept the role of lead municipality to administer and finance a planning grant awarded to the Federation of Northern Chester County, which included providing the payments of a reimbursable grant program. The planning grant was to develop an historic joint plan for parks, recreation, and open space among nine municipalities.  (see link to the Chester County Planning Grant manual, a highly acclaimed municipal planning program)

Now at the eleventh hour, when the plan is nearing conclusion, East Vincent Township wants to break its obligation to the contract and stop all the work. Supervisors Dunphy and Funk now fear a potential but farfetched possibility that the Northern Federation communities could leave East Vincent liable for an $8,000 shortfall if two townships did not agree to the plan.  All summer long, twenty or so municipality volunteers throughout the region have been working on the preliminary draft document that will be presented to all the municipal officials on Tuesday, October 11.  The Northern Federation members have worked together to reach common ground on all the recommendations found in the plan. Neither Dunphy nor Funk has ever attended a single meeting or public presentation over the past two years and neither seems to have read the reports.   Why do Dunphy and Funk suspect that all those who worked together would suddenly not agree to fund it? And if one township actually did drop out (an unlikely event unless it be East Vincent) a surplus of funds would still remain.

What transpired Wednesday at the Board of Supervisors meeting shows that all of a sudden  Dunphy and Funk do not want East Vincent Township to live up to its contractual obligations.  Dunphy and Funk reject the concept of working with the neighboring townships and athletic leagues to reach common ground for the goal of creating a park and recreation plan for all the residents of northern Chester County.

Furthermore, Dunphy and Funk seem incapable of holding a reasonable discussion.  Funk used foul language during Wednesday’s public meeting and Dunphy talked over Supervisor McNeil, who is the EVT representative to the Northern Federation. Neither Funk nor Dunphy had the facts straight. This is another example of embarrassing behavior on the part of these two East Vincent Township supervisors. Once again, just as when East Vincent withdrew from the regional plan or when they adopted the Jones Motor zoning amendment, these two men have shown little or no ability to discuss an issue; listen to public input, reason, or facts; or to cooperate with  any other township.

The athletic leagues, the park and recreation committees, the members of the conservation community, the O.J. Roberts school district, and the planning commissioners and supervisor members of the Northern Federation of Chester County all have diligently provided leadership to create a plan that is innovative, relevant, and fiscally sound for our families and our children. Yet, these two men sit back in isolation and harshly judge the good work of their neighbors and their own township volunteers. That’s just downright embarrassing. It’s time to vote for a change in East Vincent Township.  Let’s vote for someone new who won’t exclude working regionally as part of creating a township we can be proud of.