Solebury Township candidates are geared up for the Nov. 2 elections hoping to win six-year terms on the board of supervisors.
In the race are Democrats incumbent Kevin Morrissey and newcomer Hanna Howe, who face write-in Republicans John DeAndrea and Keith Wolff.
Supervisor Noel Barrett, whose term expires this year, is not seeking reelection.
The Morrissey-Howe platform calls retaining Solebury’s rural character and protecting its natural resources by:
- Continuing land preservation policies and supporting area farming, maintaining quality and quantity of the water supply, managing the deer population, ensuring restoration of the now-closed quarry property consistent with township values.
- Morrissey, a member of the Solebury Board of Supervisors since 2016, has been a liaison to the parks and recreation, farm, and Aquetong Spring advisory committees, the environmental advisory council, the planning commission and the DEP communications group that addresses the New Hope Crushed Stone quarry reclamation and the Primrose Creek restoration. He was the founding president of the Primrose Creek Watershed Association.
He is retired after 38 years at IBM, Xerox and GTE/Verizon, focusing on financial analysis, planning, budgeting and IT development.
Married to Linda for 44 years, they are the parents of two children and grandparents of three.
Morrissey has a B.A. in History/Economics from Bethany College and an M.B.A. in Finance from St. Johns University.
Hanna Howe is the head librarian at the Solebury School and is its former chair of the English department. She is a member of the township’s land preservation committee and has volunteered for nonprofits including the Planned Parenthood Association of Bucks County as a board member, Habitat for Humanity, Rolling Harvest Food Rescue and Visions in Action South Africa.
The mother of a teenage daughter, she has a B.A. in English from the College of Wooster, an M.A. in African American Studies from Temple University and an MLIS from Rutgers University.
Land preservation is important to her and “making sure it stays that way, but without being exclusionary,” she said.
Keith Wolff and his wife, Nancy, have lived in on School Lane in Solebury since 1984.
“We have been involved in various community activities such as coaching, baseball and leaders in 4H group and Boy Scouts,” Wolff states on his website. “My wife of 46 years is a retired special education teacher. We currently support our local police with delivering meals and snacks many times a year.
“I retired working in the engineering field on various types of plants including nuclear, chemical and water treatment for approximately 45 years. My responsibilities included designing and installing small piping systems as well as preparing final documentation. I supervised over 150 engineers at the Limerick Nuclear Power Plant during construction. I prepared construction procedures for all disciplines such as mechanical, civil and instrumentation. I assisted in the hot start up and testing of the power plant in Diablo Cannon (California) as lead mechanical engineer.”
The most important issue for him is the taxes paid for preserving open space and buying land along Route 202, he said recently. That land, he said, could better be used for businesses that would bring in tax revenue to the township, although he did favor some farmland preservation in the township.
“And the roads around here are a joke,” he said, pointing to Carversville Road.
John DeAndrea and his wife, Gayle, of Candlewick Court have been residents of Solebury for 20 years. He graduated from Rutgers University with honors in electrical engineering.
He is an electrical systems engineer and directs a staff of 12 engineers at the II-VI Aerospace & Defense branch in Bensalem.
DeAndrea and his wife have five sons and two grandchildren.
“Throughout my 35-year career working in the in the telecommunications and optical industries, I have managed multi-million dollar projects in 100-plus million dollar revenue product lines. Currently I am a director of engineering in laser systems, and am an inventor and holder of 17 US patents.
“Our township deserves a supervisor who is committed to managing the tasks and decisions in a professional way. I have committed my engineering career toward complex projects, building teams, designing and manufacturing products, and solving problems. My skills can only help the residents of our town, and help improve Solebury for the future,” he states on his website.
DeAndrea recently said his technical engineering experience would be a help in future township master plan updates. It would also be a plus in connecting township trails, bike paths and recreation areas, he added.
Speeding has become a problem in Solebury and he said he supports the township’s call on the state legislature to allow the police to use radar to enforce the law.
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