Only in Richland! New Supervisor May Find His Rivals To Be His Best Friends
The Free Press, November 13, 2003

As unlikely as it may sound, Mike Zowniriw’s two best friends for the next several years may be Rick Orloff and Steve Tamburri. Only in Richland! Township politics has been turned upside down by Z’s stunning defeat of incumbent supervisor Pat Keller, but the real fun is just beginning.

Orloff and Tamburri, the two holdover supervisors, campaigned for Keller, with whom they had worked well for years. So how’s this for a who-would’ve-thought: The more difficulty Z has in getting along with these two, the better off he will be. Only in Richland!

This observation isn’t intended to be partisan politics. It is the reality of the situation where a candidate makes promises he may not be able to keep, maybe for reasons beyond his control. First and foremost, Z is a Green Party member on a board with two Republicans. And, while he won, he received only 780 votes from a township of 12,000 residents, 6.5%. It doesn’t take Nostradamus to predict that there will be a whole lot of 2-1 decisions by the board in the next few years. It won’t be as easy for the Republicans, but they only lost one seat out of three, and two votes still top one every time.

So while Z will no doubt raise many issues, and introduce resolutions, he will find that politics is usually - no, make that always - a compromise. Successful politicians are negotiators, not fighters. Z was a Green Party candidate, listed on the Democratic sample ballot, supported by some Republicans. Only in Richland! His base of support included people with widely varying complaints. All saw him as the best chance to get a louder voice in government. Now that he has won, they will rightfully expect some action.

Z has two choices. He can introduce resolutions, propose changes, and advocate for his causes ad nauseum, and lose 2-1 votes on everything. Richland moves on without him, or despite him. Nothing from his agenda gets accomplished for at least two years. Or he can compromise, give a little, get a little, and perhaps see some changes that will satisfy his constituents. At least his victory will be worth something to them.

So how, you ask, does all of this make Orloff and Tamburri Z’s best friends? Because the very fact that they have the ability to prevent him from implementing his campaign proposals keeps some of those plans from being exposed.

For instance, Zowniriw opposes the creation of a roundabout, rather than a standard traffic light, at the newly planned intersection of Station Road and Old Bethlehem Pike. The roundabout is not just a whim of the Board of Supervisors, it was chosen by Carroll Engineering, the professional traffic engineers used by dozens of municipalities for just such planning. Carroll conducted an extensive study, projecting traffic flow through 2010. They evaluated 11 different ideas, including a standard traffic light. Their conclusion was that the roundabout, which is used in several states and throughout Europe, is the best solution.

Z admittedly has no expertise in traffic engineering. So, if he had his way, would YOU be comfortable with him making the decision rather than the best professionals in the field? Of course, the township could just keep hiring engineers until they found one that might agree with Z, but is that how you want your government run? Only in Richland! Z may be spared this mistake by being on the short end of the vote.

Or how about the real hot button topic, the proposed new YMCA on Station Road. The current supervisors intend to lease them 35 acres of land for $1 per year. Z opposes the plan, as do his supporters who live nearby. They fear for their property values. So let’s say the township abandons the idea, and the Y must search for a new location. What will be the effect?

Obviously, it will cost far more to purchase land elsewhere, probably $30,000-$40,000 per acre for the same improved 35 acres they would have on Station Road. Who will pay that extra million-plus? The members, of course.

But maybe you’re not feeling very sorry for the members, because they all are rich, or have at least above-average incomes, anyway. If they want a new building, let ‘em pay. You, and your family, will play elsewhere in the township, right? Wrong. There just isn’t anywhere else. Dip in the pool? The Y. Tennis, anyone? The Y. Children’s programs and summer camp? The Y. Dance, aerobics, fitness center, workouts? Yeah, there are other private places, including the pool in Quakertown. But you have to pay to use them, just like the Y.

In fact, if you look around, every other municipality that owns such facilities charges for their use. In fact, they charge twice. First, the residents have to pay for the construction and maintenance of the building, millions of dollars. Then, they have to pay for a membership. In Richland, the citizens would be spared the costs of construction and maintenance. The YMCA would do it for us. Only in Richland! All we would have to pay is the membership fee, which is reduced for those who can not afford the full amount. And, in addition, the Y would be creating and maintaining much-needed outdoor soccer, baseball, and tennis facilities for use by the community. The 2-1 vote that will save the new YMCA will also save Richland citizens a lot of money.

Then there’s the thorny issue of development. Z wants less. But there has been no township tax increase in a decade because of the additional revenue from new residents, and required contributions from developers. Easy economics: as development goes down, township taxes go up. The cost of running the township falls on everyone, not just new homes and developers. Maybe that’s a trade people now want. 6.5% of you voted for Z, but if he is able to act, township taxes go up for 100% of you. And, yes, that is Only in Richland.

It all depends how nicely Z’s plays with his new best friends.