Steve Lucas Seeks To Return Trust To Kennett Township

Steve Lucas Seeks To Return Trust To Kennett Township — Lisa Moore’s embezzlement of $3.249 million from Kennett Township came to light in early 2019 after the township’s bank asked why it was spending money in France.

Ms. Moore, the township manager, was vacationing there.

She would confess the embezzlement which occurred over her nine-year tenure. She had started with the township in 1997 and worked her way to the top job.

Kennett got $1 million back from Ms. Moore and another million from an insurance bond. There is, however, more than a million the township will likely never see. That’s real pain for a place with an 8,300 population.

The lackadaisical attitude to finances and indifference to accepting responsibility got a Republican on the previously all Democrat Board of Supervisors when Geoffrey Gamble beat incumbent Whitney Hoffman in 2021.

Tuesday’s race may flip the board to R.

Incumbent Scudder Stevens chose not to seek another term so Democrat Pat Muller and Republican Steven Lucas are battling to be his replacement.

Kennett supervisors serve six year with one elected every two years.

Lucas is a wealth manager in a partnership with a private firm. He got an electrical engineering degree from the University of New Hampshire via ROTC. He then spent nine years in the Army leaving as captain and company commander of a communication unit.

After getting out, he worked for a Japanese firm building fiber optic equipment while getting an MBA from the University of Texas and that led him to his 18-year career in finance.

“I liked math,” he said.

The supervisors’ attitude towards fiscal issues inspired his campaign.

Like many, he was angered by the Moore matter.

“I don’t feel there was an accountability that happened from the three supervisors that were in charge,” he said. “None of them took responsibility for it. All three of them should have resigned.”

He notes that present supervisors seem to live in a bubble and don’t seem to really consider the needs of the citizens.

Kennett has low crime, for instance, and just a few short years ago had no police department relying on State Police.

Now, it has a 9-member department with talk about taking it up to 16 members.

That’s a pretty big expense for an 8,300 bedroom, quasi-rural community.

Steve Lucas Seeks To Return Trust To Kennett Township
Steven Lucas

And then there’s the proposed hiking trail at Chandler Mill Road.

“We see the township spending money on what we think are basically luxury items. For example, we spent $300,000 on consultants for building a trail. We haven’t actually built the trail. Who knows how much the trail is going to cost.”

Is that the best way to spend $300K?

Lucas notes that a visit to Kennett Area Community Services (KACS), which is a private non-profit, revealed to him that 490 township residents a month use it to get food.

Three hundred thousand would go along way into keeping the township’s needy fed.

The only thing the township has done for KACS is give one payment of $5,000 and waive permit fees.

Lucas says it is estimated that KACS provided $480,000 of support to Kennett Township residents just last year.

For what it’s worth, we suspect that there are competent people in the community who would volunteer to design a trail and what they designed would cost a lot less than by those not using their own money.

Maybe the biggest issue for Lucas is the apparent indifference to the wants of the residents by the supervisors.

Voters don’t trust the township because they are frustrated with it and have no faith that they are going to be listened to, he said.

“I’m here to break that wall down and listen to the residents and get their voices heard.”

Steve Lucas Seeks To Return Trust To Kennett Township

Chesco Wipes Protected Count From Voting Machines

Chesco Wipes Protected Count From Voting Machines is courtesy of ChescoUnited:

The Voter Services department in Chester County, Pennsylvania has wiped the “protected counts” off their voting machines, raising questions about their motives. This unexpected act was revealed to observers while voting machines were undergoing normal “logic and accuracy” testing in preparation for the upcoming November 7, 2023 Municipal Election.

As explained by Karen Barsoum, Chester County Director of Voter Services, the protected count on a voting machine should be the total number of ballots put into the machine over its lifetime, which accumulates up like a car’s odometer.

When thinking of a car, you can reset the trip odometer, but should not be able to roll back the lifetime odometer. Since the protected counts on voting machines are supposed to be “protected,” hence the name, why would the county eliminate this history? Why would county elections officials not want anyone to be able to see on the machine itself how many ballots went into it previously?

In the county’s defense, they stated that they made a log of all the protected counts recorded from each machine. This is according to an observer that was present. The concern is, did they have Democrat and Republican observers when they recorded the protected counts? Was it just the Voter Services staff present? Was it just the ES&S vendor? How can they prove the count they wrote down is accurate?

According to the same observer, another observer present asked why the change was made. At first, a Voter Services employee explained that the voting machine protected counts were wiped as part of a system upgrade that was performed in the summer, and that they had problems with the protected count in the past. This answer causes many questions to come to mind: What problems was this employee referring to? Where are the problems documented? What was the effect? These questions must be asked and answers must be provided by the county.

When Karen Barsoum explained the change, she also stated that the protected counts were cleared when there was a system upgrade over the summer. She said it was a state-certified upgrade to a new version of software (EVS 6300) – and that every county with ES&S machines in PA received this upgrade. As part of the upgrade, they removed the memory cards from the machines and replaced them with higher capacity memory cards. It was likened to changing a camera’s memory card. The question now is who has the old memory cards that were taken out of the voting machines? Are they in the possession of the county or does ES&S have them?

Chester County officials removing protected counts reminds the public of the problems uncovered in Mesa County, Colorado in 2021. This was when Dominion Voting Systems installed what they called a “Trusted Build” update on their Election Management System in May of 2021, which was ordered by the Colorado Secretary of State. According to the Mesa #3 report, this update destroyed critical election records on the EMS hard drive.

According to an additional, Mesa # 1 report, “Federal law requires the preservation of election records – which includes records in electronic or digital form – for twenty-two months after an election. Forensic examination found that election records, including data described in the Federal Election Commissions’ 2002 Voting System Standards (VSS) had been destroyed on Mesa County’s voting systems, by the system vendor. Because similar system modifications were reportedly performed upon county election servers across the state, it is possible, if not likely, that such destruction in violation of state and federal law has occurred in numerous other counties.”

This leads us to wonder if anything else was erased from the county’s voting machines, especially our Election Management System, that has not been disclosed to the public.

Other issues that must be addressed are the problems with the Chester County voter rolls and how the Board of Elections is going to eliminate the possibility of people casting fraudulent ballots using names listed in the voter rolls which are ineligible to vote.

Chesco Wipes Protected Count From Voting Machines is courtesy of ChescoUnited:

Chesco Wipes Protected Count From Voting Machines is courtesy of ChescoUnited:

Deputy Zeke Caged For 4 Months

Deputy Zeke Caged For 4 Months — GOP Chester County (Pa) Sheriff Candidate Roy Kofroth points out in this ad that the department under Fredda Maddox and her subordinate Kevin Dykes separated a valuable K-9 from his partner and put him on ice for four months.

Once you get past the indifference and cruelty look at the stupidity and incompetence.

Ms. Maddox is now seeking to be a county Common Pleas Court judge and Dykes is now looking to be sheriff.

Vote for Kofroth for sheriff. Don’t vote for Ms. Maddox for anything.

If the Sheriff Department under Fredda hadn’t gutted its award-winning K-9 unit, Chesco Prison escapee and multiple-murderer Danelo Cavalcante would not have terrorized the county for two weeks.

Here’s the ad:

Deputy Zeke Caged For 4 Months

Deputy Zeke Caged For 4 Months

Holland Warned Of Cavalcante Escape Plan Month Before It Happened

Holland Warned Of Cavalcante Escape Plan Month Before It Happened — Chester County Commissioner Joshua Maxwell implied, Sept. 20, that somehow Chesco prison’s former warden, Ronald M. Phillips, was somehow to blame for the conditions that led to multiple-murderer Danelo Cavalcante Aug. 31 escape.

Phillips, who started at the prison in 1983 and moved up the ranks to top job, was placed on administrative leave in July, allegedly due to the May escape by o Igor Vidra Bolte. He officially retired the day before Cavalcante’s break out.

Taking over as interim warden was Howard Holland. He had been Downingtown police chief, while Maxwell served as the borough’s mayor.

Being a police chief does not make one skilled in running a prison. It has now been revealed that a prison officer warned had warned his superiors that Cavalcante was planning an escape a month before it happened.

“I am just sending this cause I don’t want this to come back on us or [Officer] Hernandez in anyway.He noted back in July that this inmate was planning an escape,” Chester County Prison Sgt. Jerry Beavers said in an email to Cpt. Harry Griswold several hours after the escape on Aug. 31.

The document had been obtained via a right-to-know request by ABCNews.

The present County Board of Commissioners had allowed the prison to become woefully understaffed — 60 of 300 positions were vacant — before Phillips was forced out.

Holland Warned Of Cavalcante Escape Plan Month Before It Happened
If Chesco didn’t gut the sheriff’s K-9 unit, they wouldn’t need a Border Patrol dog to catch killer Cavalcante

Holland Warned Of Cavalcante Escape Plan Month Before It Happened

John Emmons Hangs On With Chesco GOP Despite Move To Berks

John Emmons Hangs On With Chesco GOP Despite Move To Berks — We reported in July that John Emmons, the executive vice chair of the Chester County GOP, moved up to Berks yet remained registered to vote in Chesco.

And remained executive vice chair of the Chester County GOP.

Well, we have an update. As per Chester County Voter Services:

  1. Alison Emmons: Canceled her voter registration with Chester County on September 18th, 2023. She is now registered in Berks County.
  2. John Emmons: Our office mailed him an Address Verification Notice (AVN) on July 28th, 2023. We have yet to receive confirmation from him. Once his address is confirmed, his voter registration with Chester County will either be reactivated and show his new address, or his voter registration will update to reflect he has moved to a different county.

And he remains the executive vice chair of the Republican Chester County Committee.

John Emmons Hangs On With Chesco GOP

John Emmons Hangs On With Chesco GOP

Yoda Endorses Chesco GOP

Yoda Endorses Chesco GOP — Yoda –the K-9 who put the bite on multiple murderer Danelo Cavalcante after he climbed out of horrifically mismanaged Chester County Prison, Aug. 31, and wandered the woods of Southeast Pennsylvania for two weeks — has come out strong for the Chesco GOP ticket in the Nov. 7 election.

Watch it here:

https://rumble.com/v3o5e4j-danelo-cavalcante-captured-by-yoda.html?fbclid=IwAR3xO3BtPxgl9JedA6Ic72w8le7a7rz3887nHeLFJhTesb4KvaEJ9Zrzp30

What we’re waiting upon is for some progressive Democrat to post that it really isn’t the dog saying those words.

That will make our day.

Hat tip Bunny Welsh.

Yoda Endorses Chesco GOP
Yoda says vote Republican in Chesco

What Happened To Zeeke And Moose?

What Happened To Zeeke And Moose? — Nine months after taking office Chester County Sheriff Fredda Maddox announced the acquisition of Zeeke and Moose to her department’s K-9 unit.

This would have been in September 2020.

Well Zeeke and Moose are no longer there along with most of the units other dogs.

Whatever happened to them? Flyers are being placed around the county

If the K-9 unit had been fully staffed Danelo Cavalcante would not have had his two-week vacation.

On the other hand, Ms. Maddox can’t even keep the human side of department filled.

She’s trying for a promotion to Common Pleas Court judge, Nov. 7, and running as her successor is hand-picked Kevin Dykes.

Running against Dykes is Roy Kofroth. Ms. Maddox is one of 12 candidates for five open seats for for judge. If you want competency don’t vote for the Democrats.

What Happened To Zeeke And Moose?

What Happened To Zeeke And Moose?

Missouri Escapee Arrested In Chesco

Missouri Escapee Arrested In Chesco — Mario Che-Tiul who escaped from a Missouri jail was arrested today, Sept. 21, in Chester County, Pa. in Avondale.

He was facing charges of child molestation.

What was he doing in Chesco?

It sure is a long way from the Show Me State.

Did the word go out on the criminal grapevine that Chesco was a nice, woke place to hide out considering murderer  Danelo Cavalcante managed to bust out of Chesco’s prison and spend two weeks on the lam?

Missouri Escapee Arrested In Chesco

Sheriff Louderback Supporting Roy Kofroth

Sheriff Louderback Supporting Roy Kofroth — AJ Louderback, who served five-terms as sheriff of Jackson County, Texas until his retirement in December 2021, will be special guest at a reception for Roy Kofroth who is running for Chester County sheriff.

It should be a no-brainer that Kofroth wins but there are many voters who have no brains.

Or hearts or lungs, for that matter.

Kofroth is running against Kevin Dykes who is the hand-picked successor of Fredda Maddox, whose single term has been an unmitigated disaster. More than anyone she may have been responsible for murderer Danelo Cavalcante’s two weeks of freedom.

Ms. Maddox is running for county Common Pleas Court judge.

The election is Nov. 7.

Kofroth’s reception is 5-8 p.m., Oct. 1 at the Maplecroft Building, 500 S. Whitehorse Road, Phoenixville, Pa 19460.

Tickets are $100 or $150 a couple with discounts for law enforcement and first responders. See flyer below.

RSVP deadline has passed but email WinPa23@yahoo.com if interested in meeting Sheriff Louderback who has been outspoken about the border crisis.

Sheriff Louderback Supporting Roy Kofroth

Sheriff Louderback Supporting Roy Kofroth

Ex-Chesco Warden Pushed Out By May Escape

Ex-Chesco Warden Pushed Out By May Escape — Former Chester County Warden Ronald M. Phillips was pushed out due to Igor Vidra Bolte’s escape in May.

And the county prison had a K-9 program that ended in 1986.

County Commissioner Joshua Maxwell revealed these bits at today’s (Sept. 20) meeting of the prison board.

The board consists of the county commissioners, District Attorney Deborah Ryan, Sheriff Fredda Maddox, the county controller and the president judge of Common Pleas Court.

Phillips started at the prison in 1983 and worked his way up the ranks. He began a leave of absence in July and officially retired Aug. 30, the day before  Danelo Cavalcante’s escape.

He was replaced by Howard Holland, who had been police chief of Downingtown where Maxwell had been mayor.

Was there a search for Phillips’ replacement or was Holland merely ordained? That’s assuming Holland gets the permanent job as he is now merely interim warden.

We asked this earlier. Police and correction skills are not necessarily interchangeable and if Bolte’s escape caused Phillips to lose his job, is Holland’s in jeopardy?

Probably not considering the reception he got at today’s meeting.

Anyway, Maxwell conceded the prison has been short staffed with 60 of the 300 positions not being filled. He also admitted information about Cavalcante’s escape was woefully delayed from being transmitted to the community.

He said there were plans to return a K-9 program to the prison.

It has been widely noted that if the county Sheriff Department had maintained its highly regarded one, Cavalcante would have been rounded up within hours.

The program, however, was allowed to whither when Fredda Maddox was elected to the office in 2019.

By the way, the Sheriff Department is down 40 deputies.

Why is Chesco having so much trouble keeping people?

Ms. Maddox, a Democrat, is stepping down as sheriff in a bid to become a Chesco Common Pleas Court judge. The election is Nov. 7.

Bunny Welsh, who was Ms. Maddox’s predecessor, pointed out that it took her 10 years to develop the K-9 unit. She noted that it doesn’t just take highly trained dogs but highly trained handlers who will work unexpected hours.

Prison Fixes Get Green Light

The board approved, in response to the escape, a design phase for prison renovations with TranSystems. Proposed renovations include are enclosing the eight exercise yards, adding a sally port, and removing the basketball hoops as they are a liability issue along with a security one.

The TranSystems presenter noted that an enclosed yard would prevent drones from dropping contraband to the inmates.

The cost was estimated at between $2.5 and $3.5 million and the job will take six to nine months.

Also a temporary barrier will be installed where Cavalcante made his escape.

Holland Addresses Board

Holland addressed the board from the floor saying plans are in place to add razor wire to where Bolte escaped but there are construction delays. He said there also plans to add metal fencing where Cavalcante broke out.

He said he wants to add 50-75 cameras for $70,000 along with eight people to watch them. Holland says he plans to have more drills. He said wants an alarm system on an outside fence, drones and drone operators, oh, and a K-9 unit.

He said if he these programs Cavalcante would never have escaped.

On the other hand, if the prison was fully staffed and had more than one guard watching the exercise yard he probably wouldn’t have escaped either.

Public Comments

Before public comments, the audience was specifically told not to bring up the Sheriff Department K-9 unit.

Sally Mininger (sp) from Tredyffrin noted the hero of the Cavalcante matter was Border Patrol dog Yoda and then said Bunny Welsh had great program but was gutted when Freda Maddox took over as sheriff. She said there were but two dogs left when Cavalcante escaped at which point she was told to stop talking about the Sheriff Department’s K-9 unit.

She ended by saying it wouldn’t be necessary to reinstate the program if it had been gutted “in 1986 or whenever.”

Guy Ciarrocchi of Tredyffrin said commissioners failed the community. He wanted to know if the prison would start taking murderers until fully staffed or at least keep them in isolation.

Shelia Learner (sp) of Westtown said she never came to these meetings but is livid.

“You had one job to do . . .” she said. “And you failed it. You are not doing a good job and I think you have to think that this is not job for you.”

Daryl Cooper (sp) of East Marlboro Township said the board ratified two major proposals without the expertise to understand them. He did, however, complement Maxwell on his expressions of empathy at the start of the meeting.

A Malvern woman criticized Sheriff Maddox and Commissioner Marian Moskowitz for being almost invisible during the escape.

Ex-Chesco Warden Pushed Out By May Escape
TranSystems proposed temporary fix where Cavalcante made his escape

Ex-Chesco Warden Pushed Out By May Escape
They really, really want to get rid of the basketball hoops.

Ex-Chesco Warden Pushed Out By May Escape

Ex-Chesco Warden Pushed Out By May Escape

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