We have learned that, following their own independent investigations, the Borough of Kennett Square submitted a letter (attached) to the Legal Division of the State Ethics Commission last week raising important questions about the ethical conduct of Kennett Township Manager Eden Ratliff surrounding his advocacy for the budget increases recently approved for Fire / EMS services. Some of the concerns raised by the Borough parallel those in our complaint to the Ethics Commission, but provide specific details about meetings at which Ratliff advocated for the budget increases that he benefited from by virtue of his wife's undisclosed position at Longwood Fire. But the Borough raises new concerns about his advocacy for the funding of an unspecified $250,000 "volunteer recruitment program" that Ratliff, his wife, and his brother would potentially benefit from as members of Longwood Fire.
It is also worth noting here that it is extremely unusual - and concerning - for a municipality to seek guidance about the ethical conduct of a manager in an adjoining township. Neighboring municipalities need to trust one another to solve a wide range of shared problems - from emergency services to sewers to road and trail systems. Without that trust, problems remain unsolved, with residents ultimately paying the price in terms of increasing taxes and deteriorating services.