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Chester County Press

Uncle Irvin: Leaders belie rural character of township

12/08/2015 02:37PM ● By Richard Gaw




It seems that Kennett Township Supervisors are getting ready for an explosion in the township's population, recently passing three ordinances to control noise, loitering, and conduct of those under 18.

These ordinances provide for fines of as much as $100.

Supervisors Scudder Stevens, Richard Leff and Robert Hammaker apparently feel compelled to earn their $35 monthly stipend by adopting "scorched earth" ordinances that are designed to regulate everything, even though nothing happens to necessitate these ordinances. Outside of a commercial strip adjacent to Route 1, Kennett Township is largely rural, rural/suburban and agricultural.

After the events of the last couple of years, it would seem likely that the supervisors sit back and count their blessings of millions of dollars in reserve. These needless ordinances will eventually precipitate events like citing a citizen for target practice at his multi-acre homestead.

I'm not an attorney like Scudder Stevens, but violating and prosecuting parts of the ordinance could result in them being declared unconstitutional, which happened to Stevens once already.

(Uncle Irvin's column is his opinion only, and is not a news story.)