There is an election in Quakertown this year. The shame of it is, it may not matter much. And it's YOUR fault.
Three seats on borough council are up for grabs. Or at least as up for grabs as elections ever are in Qtown. Which is to say, the choices are very limited. And it's YOUR fault.
The three incumbents are all Republicans. They are running as a group, hoping you will just keep the whole bunch. That strategy didn't work in 2004, when Democrat Dave Wilsey ousted long-time councilman Stanley Schoch. But Wilsey is also a long-time friend of many council members, and has been more of a lapdog than a watchdog.
This year you will be asked to re-elect Council President Ray Fulmer, a ten-year veteran, Don Rosenberger, and Dan Williams, who is seeking his second term. Don't expect to see too much campaign literature. The name of this game is rely on the apathy of the people.
The fact is, council is theirs until someone takes it away. And, frankly, it is a good strategy. At least for the three amigos. Not necessarily for the voters.
And it's YOUR fault.
Lord knows what these guys will use as a platform. How about " Trust Us "?
Trust Us not to raise your water bills another 104%. Trust Us not to raise electric 20% more. Trust Us not to cost taxpayers another $800,000 to repay Bucks County Water and Sewer. Trust Us not to make more embarrassing million-dollar mistakes like the polluted Krupp site, or the bungled negotiations with Richland for new age-restricted housing.
Trust Us not to continue our hear-no-evil-see-no-evil-speak-no-evil attitude, that allowed Borough Manager Dave Woglom to hand out over $200,000 in illegal no-bid contracts, including his own borough car. Trust Us not to be the ostriches that allowed the former police chief to isolate the borough from the rest of Bucks County. Trust us to end the blatant favoritism which allowed Councilman Williams to be the only person in the borough to receive a free stone delivery for his alley.
Trust Us to better treat our borough workers, so they don't need to unionize to protect themselves from Woglom's heavy-handed policies. Trust Us to know what Woglom is doing, so he doesn't get any more hidden nine percent pay raises while the rest of the borough employees get three percent. Trust Us to no longer govern in secret, or make it difficult for you to learn what we have decided.
And Trust Us to rebuild the town's water system, which is leaching asbestos and iron into the drinking water. Trust Us to fix the sewers and treatment plant, so raw sewage doesn't continue to spill into the Tohickon Creek. Trust Us not to defer even more maintenance for decades, so your children don't feel the same pinch that you are about to.
So what can Quakertown voters do in 2005? It would take a very brave man, or woman, to join council these days. To attempt to clean up the mess created by the very people sharing the dais. There is no rush to volunteer. Fulmer, Hallman, and Williams expect to win by default.
Or will they?
Quakertown is virtually ruled by Woglom and council. Change is needed. Immediately. It is time to elect a man who has no connection with the guys in power. An end to the good ol' boy network. The three necessary qualifications are honesty, good business sense, and the cajones to stand up for the right thing, even when your fellow council members will not.
He won't be popular with the others, but Qtown desperately needs an elected official who the residents can actually trust! Who will tell the people what is really going on.
I believe there is such a person. David Zaiser, a lifelong Upper Bucks resident, but a newcomer to Quakertown politics. A man with an excellent business background, including budgeting, taxes, and, importantly, customer relations. "I see a council that is reactive instead of proactive. They do not plan ahead. They are surprised when people are having issues in their neighborhoods. Would I challenge council and Dave Woglom? I assure you that I will."
Will he personally revitalize the town? No. Will he cure decades of neglect and bad government by himself? Of course not. Can he even make a difference? YES! A HUGE ONE!
First, council will no longer be able to govern in secret, because I believe Zaiser will spill the beans on anything shady, including improper private meetings that violate the state Sunshine law. He won't look the other way when Woglom tries to hand out contracts without bidding, and without the proper resolutions. He won't ignore the crumbling infrastructure, and allow council to just defer maintenance even further. He won't refuse to cooperate with Richland, or ignore the borough workers. He won't wink as a councilman gets a stone delivery at taxpayer expense, or Woglom deals himself an outrageous raise. With your money.
But, most important, his election will send two messages: Dear Council - we're mad as hell and we're not going to take it any more. Dear Citizens - you can make a difference in your own community. If you seem honest, and are willing to make the sacrifices needed to benefit us all, we will vote for you. And others like you in the future.
But, Dear Residents, if you are happy with huge tax increases, deteriorating infrastructure, illegal contracts, bad business decisions, stone deliveries to council members, government in secret, and an overabundance of arrogance, keep voting for the same old cronies. Things will stay the same. And it's YOUR fault.
A Tale Of Two Towns (Yet Again)
Adversity often brings out the best in people. Unfortunately, not in everyone. Witness the difference in the way the elected leaders of two neighboring towns responded to the tragedy on the Gulf Coast:
The Richland Park & Recreation Board, and the Supervisors, voted to donate the approximately $14,000 raised from this year's golf outing to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The neighbors of Braithwaite Lane in Quakertown, organized by Brenda Plumley, a native southerner, held a huge yard sale last weekend for the same humanitarian cause. At least a dozen area businesses donated goods to be raffled off. The good folks had the modest goal of collecting $500. The borough refused to waive the ten dollar permit fee.
Quakertown has about $7 million in its General Fund. It is safe to say that The Braithwaite Bunch has less. The victims of Katrina have far less. Does anyone out there feel better knowing that Qtown now has ten bucks more?
Council will claim that The Rules must be the same for everyone. Poppycock. Katrina was the worst natural disaster in this nations's history. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost everything. Governments around the country, and around the world, have responded with offers of huge amounts of aid. This is not about The Rules, it is about human suffering and human survival.
It is both laughable and disgusting to hear a municipality that routinely ignores rules - even laws - with impunity to hide behind The Rules to make ten bucks. If borough council doesn't have either the time or the intelligence to discern the importance of this holocaust, they should all be sentenced to live in a refugee camp for a while. We elect our leaders to actually make decisions, not sit on their asses and quote The Rules.