Photo by Richard L. Gaw                     Geoffrey Gamble, seen here being sworn into office last January to begin his six-year term, will serve as the chairman of the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors in 2023.

By Richard L. Gaw

Staff Writer

Geoffrey Gamble, who defeated incumbent Whitney Hoffman in his campaign to become the lone Republican on the three-person Kennett Township Board of Supervisors in November 2021, will serve as the board’s chairman for 2023. The announcement was made during the township’s organizational meeting on Jan. 3.

Gamble will be re-joining current board Richard Leff – who will serve as vice chairman – and Scudder Stevens, who served as vice chairman in 2022.          

In his comments after the announcement, Gamble said that a key project for the township this year will be to establish a strategic regionalization of township services; namely, sewer, fire, police, public works and finance, in an effort to “contain our budget and the burden it imposes on our residents” in partnership with neighboring jurisdictions.

Gamble said that two of the township’s high priorities in 2023 will be to continue to make progress on developing the Chandler Mill Trail, moving forward with the development of the Spar Hill Farm as an educational and historical destination, and continuing to secure and protect open spaces. Currently, the township has protected 22.5 percent of its total land, with a goal of increasing to 30 percent.

Gamble said another priority for the township this year will be to review all township committees and commissions over the next six months, in order to determine how best to fill the township’s obligations to its residents.

Gamble added that municipal government has two primary roles – to provide services for its residents what the private sector cannot or will not provide, and to enact and enforce rules for the good of the community as a whole, as well as be responsible for the management of public infrastructure.

“Municipalities are also the primary providers of public safety services, including emergency management and response, and police, fire, and ambulance service. In addition, the Commonwealth has given us the ability to plan for the future of our community through land use tools, such as subdivision and zoning ordinances, so we can control how we want to develop.”

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].