Outgoing council president gets ‘big’ thanks

In local politics, December is a month for adopting budgets and saying your goodbyes.

Borough council did both Dec. 10 when it bid farewell to outgoing Council President James Kovaleski and Councilwoman Catherine Doherty.

Both leaving are council, neither having run for another term.

Both Democrats, they will be replaced by fellow Democrats Brian Weiss, who ran unopposed in the East Ward, and Brian C. Moore, who ran unopposed in the West Ward.

Democrat Jonathan Ewald was unopposed in his reelection bid in the Middle Ward and incumbent Democrat Edwin Soto, easily defeated challenger Neil Herman in the North Ward by more than 300 votes.

Kovaleski did run for election however, successfully winning the race to become a district judge.

As they said their goodbyes, both Doherty and Kovaleski thanked Borough Manager E. Jean Krack for his help over the years.

He, in turn, returned the

Democrat Jonathan Ewald was unopposed in his reelection bid in the Middle Ward and incumbent Democrat Edwin Soto, easily defeated challenger Neil Herman in the North Ward by more than 300 votes.

compliment and thanked them both for their service.

The other council members had a kind of parting shot for Kovaleski, who was known, when giving his opinion, to offer “my two cents.”

Seeing as he had given it so often, said Ewald, it only seemed appropriate that he should get it back.

And he did, in the form a giant check, usually reserved for big grants, for exactly two cents.

EVAN BRANDT — MEDIANEWS GROUP Known for offering “my two cents,” when giving his opinion, outgoing Phoenixville Borough Council President James Kovaleski received a ‘big check’ for two cents at the Dec. 10 council meeting, which was his last.