Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 156, No. 48
Wednesday, December 7, 2022
$1.00
New Garden: Tempers reach fever pitch in Aqua rate hike debate By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer The public comment portion of the New Garden Board of Supervisors Dec. 6 meeting escalated into a shouting match between a supervisor and a member of Keep Water Affordable (KWA), as tensions continue to rise in the aftermath of the sale of the township’s wastewater system to Aqua, a transaction that has led to the soaring sewer costs for Aqua ratepayers in the township.
INSIDE
Greenville & Hockessin Life
In his comments, KWA spokesman Pete Mrozinksi lashed out at the board for what he called a show of “hypocrisy” and altering the format of the Nov. 21 meeting that invited Aqua executives, township officials and ratepayers in order to “play right into Aqua’s hands.” “We’ve heard a lot from our neighbors and others who have taught us of their absolute disappointment with the board, and I am sure that you must have heard some of that direct-
Joe Harkins: The memoirs of a life well lived
Upon arriving at the Firbank Central residence of Joseph Aloysius Cornelius “Joe” Harkins at the Crosslands Senior Living Community in Kennett Square, it is immediately apparent that its walls and shelves serve as a tour guide of accomplishments, family and history. There are framed photographs of his time in the Kennett High School to U.S. Army prior to the start stage A Midsummer of the Korean Conflict Night’s Dream...3B and mounted medals from his service. There are two framed mementos of his two hole-in-ones, the last from 2005, when he was 78 years old. There are the captured moments of his 65-year marriage to his wife Jeanne, photos of his family, and more knick-knacks related to the University of Notre Dame – where he earned a degree – than one can count. (To this day, his children Jeannie, Judy, Pat and Kathleen and their children know all of the words to the school’s famous fight song.) Together, and on the
To Subscribe Call 610.869.5553
has ever enforced the time limit. Making reference to the Nov. 21 meeting, Mrozinski called the supervisors “hypocritical” for rearranging the meeting’s format that limited public comment to three-minute slots at the end of the meeting and cut back on the time to pose more questions to Aqua and the township. “Second, you chose to follow Aqua’s bidding,” Mrozinski continued. “You claimed to be opposed to Aqua’s proposed takeover of the Chester Water
Crosslands resident celebrates 95th birthday
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
© 2007 The Chester County Press
ly yourselves,” he began. Looking up from his notes, Mrozinski asked supervisor Ted Gallivan to pay attention to his comments, rather than look at his phone. “Keep going, Pete, keep going,” said Gallivan, who said he was setting his phone to the allotted threeminute time limit allowed for public comment. “I have heard all of this before.” When township solicitor William Christman informed Mrozinski of the time limit, he questioned whether or not the township
occasion of Harkins’ 95th birthday on December 5, they form the memoirs of a life well lived. Born and raised in Rochester, N.Y. to a strict Roman Catholic family, Harkins moved to Westchester County as a teenager where he became the class valedictorian in his only year at Iona Prep. In the Harkins’ family, three things were stressed above all else: church, education and country. They followed him to Notre Dame in 1945 but after only one year in South Bend, he enlisted in the U.S. Army as part of the United States’ War of Occupation in Korea. After 18 months of service, Harkins returned to Notre Dame, where he received a degree in chemical engineering in 1950, graduating Magna Cum Laude. After college, Harkins took a job in the research lab at General Foods in New Jersey, while also attending law school at St. John’s University. “At that time, I decided I wanted to become a patent lawyer that came out my experience at General
Authority. Yet, you did the bidding of Aqua. You set up that meeting purposely to play right into Aqua’s hands so that there was no real information shared. You told us that we had your agreement that we would have part of the agenda. On the day of the meeting, we were told that the board had decided against it.” Mrozinski went on to accuse the meeting’s moderator – Ryan Jennings from the firm of Unrush, Turner, Burke & Frees – of treating the ratepayers “like
misbehaved children.” “Not one of you said anything about that,” he said. “You sat there. Did you really enjoy watching your constituents being humiliated by that guy?” As the buzzer sounded off to end Mrozinski’s time, he continued his comments. “Your constituents now are questioning your allegiance. Do you intend to continue supporting Aqua in its cover-up of the sale, or are your actions just because you don’t know Continued on page 2A
FROM OUR LENS Garden in a glass
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Angelique Thibaudeau displayed a terrarium she had just purchased from Megan Steimer of Orchard Hill Dry Plant Company in Elkton, Md. at the 30th annual Country Christmas Craft Fair, held on Dec. 3 at the Avon Grove Intermediate School. The event, which drew hundreds of gift buyers to the work of 124 vendors this year, raises funds for the Avon Grove Intermediate School and Penn London Elementary School PTAs, which then provides funding for student enrichment programs.
Foods,” he said. “I became involved in patent litigation for the company, and I thought, ‘The field of patent litigation looks like a nice career.’” During his time at General Foods, he met Jeanne Rohel, who was secretary to the head of the research center. “Jeanne’s desk was right outside of my office, so
every time I walked in or walked out, I saw her,” he said. “I talked to her. I asked her out, and married her.” “I was born in a log cabin in Lake Erskine, New Jersey,” said firstborn daughter Jeannie, who would be followed by her sisters Judy, Pat and Kathy. “Dad took my mother from Union City to this summer retreat in the middle of
nowhere.” After the Harkins family left the log cabin, they settled in Wayne, N.J., where Harkins’ career blossomed. After leaving General Foods, he joined Congoleum-Nairn – an internationally-known leader in the flooring industry -- as its patent lawyer, where he was responsible Continued on page 3A
Kennett Collaborative appoints new executive director Kennett Collaborative will start the new year with a new executive director. The organization announced this week that Daniel Embree has been selected as the new executive director. He will begin his post on January 3, 2023. Embree joins Kennett Collaborative as an experienced executive with more than a decade of proven successes in nonprofit management, strategic planning, programmatic expansion, community engagement, and capacity building through fundraising and advancement activities. “I’m deeply honored to be named the next execu-
tive director of Kennett Collaborative,” Embree said. “I look forward to continuing the important work Kennett Collaborative does to make our community the welcoming and thriving place it is. As a Kennett area resident, I am excited to work with our staff, board, partners, merchants, and the entire community to elevate the programs, events, businesses, and one-of-a-kind experiences that give Kennett its unique character and make it such a great place to live, work, and visit.” Since 2018, Embree has served as director of national programs for the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers
in New York City. In that role, he managed a large network of regional partners to provide recognition for creative teens, planned and implemented a series of annual events attracting 3,000-plus attendees, and supervised staff and day-to-day operations for programs benefiting more than 100,000 students annually. Prior to joining the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers in 2016, Embree managed youth programs for the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, where he designed curriculum, created successful marketing campaigns to grow engagement
Photo courtesy Dylan Francis
Daniel Embree has been selected as Kennett Collaborative’s new executive director.
and income, and coordinated cultural exhibitions featuring diverse artists. “Our executive director search yielded a field of stellar candidates,” said Kennett Collaborative
Board President Mary Kay Gaver. “Daniel’s passion for connecting communities through cultural experiences, his savvy business acumen, and his love Continued on page 3A