This week's award goes to Walter Hipple, who sits on West Chester's Planning Commission and Historical Architectural Review Board.

Hipple has been very critical of the West Chester urban forester's recommendation that Tony Stancato line his development at Gay and Everhart streets with Japanese Lilacs. Hipple said he would prefer Zelcovas. At a borough council committee meeting on Nov. 2, he said:

"[Japanese Lilacs] are a spindley, and in my judgement, a contemptable tree. Lots of trees are superior to Japanese Lilacs."

He continued:

"I don't even approve much of their blossoms. Those who like them would say they are creamy. I would say they are dingy."

I applaud Hipple for taking such a strong and uncompromising position on aesthetics. We live in an age of ugly buildings, of computer generated public parks. People seem to care more about functionality than aesthetics. The few people who genuinely care about aesthetics (whether or not their tastes coincide with Hipples) need to speak up. The two most oppressive things in the physical world are strip mines and charmless streets.

This week, the Bold Statement of the Week Award goes to West Chester Planning Commission Member Matthew Adams.

His statement?

"These meetings really need to be a little more efficient."

He said this at Tuesday evening's planning commission meeting.

OK - this statement might not seem bold to those of you who have never felt the ache of spirit that comes from sitting through a meandering, three hour municipal meeting. I have. And I agree. West Chester's planning commission meetings could be a bit shorter and more focused.

At the same time, I wouldn't want West Chester planning commission meetings, or any of the municipal meetings I cover, to be too short and focused. If they were, it would mean the board or commission that is holding the meeting has done most of its negotiating in the dark, out of the public's eye.