The calendar says 2007, but this will be Year One. The year that Republicans and Democrats cooperate to put the good of the borough ahead of party politics. Quakertown 2007.
Last week we met the Republican candidates for council. Now the Dems get equal time. They currently hold two seats, but the one occupied (occasionally) by Dave Wilsey is among four up for grabs this year. Six candidates are vying for a shot. The May 15 primary will narrow the field.
The six are Dems, but the similarity stops there. The two best candidates share something very important with several Republican counterparts: they want to see the best council possible, regardless of party. These are the forward-thinking folks we need on the Quakertown 2007 team.
The first to announce his intentions was John Flynn, a 35-year old Qtown native who promises "to bring accountability and honesty to council". Those words weren't even in the vocabulary of a certain former borough manager. Flynn has plenty of business experience, both as a part-time landlord, and managing over $4 million yearly in sales to national car rental companies in what he describes as "a fast paced, high stress position".
But here's the important part: "I'm not going to let (political party) people tell me how to think, or what decisions to make. It can't just be Republican or Democrat. You have to be able to see both sides of the coin. I'm willing to go in there and listen to everyone". Anyone who has been to council meetings knows that this is indeed a refreshing idea. The essence of Quakertown 2007.
Forty-five year old mother of two Michele Scarborough feels the same. "Being on borough council, party affiliation doesn't really come into play. You need to be working for the community, regardless of party affiliation. I have respect for people. I listen. I don't make rash decisions". Scarborough is the financial administrator of a large medical company, and commands the respect of her peers. Last month, 200 of them overwhelmingly voted her their Circle of Excellence Award. What will she bring to council? "Fresh eyes, new ideas, motivation, and commitment". Quakertown 2007.
Flynn and Scarborough are the best of the D's, but their ticket still needs two more candidates. The pickings are slim...
At the bottom is Nancy Roberts, one of ex-manger Dave Woglom's strongest supporters. Despite being well known (or perhaps because of it), she has no support from either party. She held a "press conference" to announce her candidacy, and no one showed up. A long-time colleague, speaking on condition of anonymity, warned "She gushes over you to your face while sticking in the knife". Her campaign manager is two-time loser for Richland supervisor, Brian Kline. Kline declined The Free Press' request for an interview with Roberts.
How would she manage your money? Thanks to her cronies on council, she already has experience spending it. Roberts (no relation to councilman Jim Roberts) is president of the private Quakertown Historical Society. She hired a fly-by-night contractor to install new siding on her building. The job was done so poorly that everything had to be completely replaced. No problem. While most private groups have to fundraise, she just turned to her council buddies, who bailed her out with $21,600 of your tax dollars. This was in addition to previous gifts of $40,000 in 2000 and $10,000 in 2005.
In January, Roberts issued a press release stating "We must better manage area development and traffic". Wait a minute! She is a member of the town Planning Commission. Managing development and traffic is her responsibility! If it hasn't been done right, she need look no further than the nearest mirror. As for cooperation with Republicans, not a word. Apparently it is not a priority.
Almost as bad is another Planning Commission member, and long-time council cuddle-up, Steve Biddle, who ran back in 1991 and finished dead last among seven candidates. If he has any issues with traffic congestion on 309, speeding on our neighborhood streets, or the lack of historical protection that led to the three out-of-place townhomes on his own block, pass him Roberts' mirror. If you like current council, you'll love Biddle.
To illustrate his judgment, he was a member of the Richland Citizens Alliance, supporting the candidacy and policies of ethically-challenged Supervisor Mike Zowniriw (the guy who was just convicted twice of throwing a rock at his neighbor's son, and who shut off the water to neighbor Claire Cressman, a former Dem committeewoman).
An unknown quantity is Joe Policare, who worked for the borough for many years, and now is a bank manager in Dublin. He also is in charge of that town's "main street program", which uses grant money for revitalization projects. But despite his background, even his former Qtown co-workers do not support him.
Finally, Dave Wilsey, who promised to be a watchdog when elected in 2003. But after being seated with his long-time Republican buddies, he was only a lapdog. In 2005 he refused to publicly endorse, or even campaign for, fellow Dem Dave Zaiser. But he did show his real priority by running for State Senate in 2006, effectively abandoning the borough by missing five of 11 regular council meetings between March 2006 and January, 2007. He will probably get through this primary, because Roberts and Biddle are such bad choices, but in November, just say no.
I asked six candidates and party leaders from both sides to name their "dream council". Each included one or more members of the other party. Not a single Republican or Democrat wanted to work with Nancy Roberts, Biddle, Wilsey, or current President Dennis Hallman. The preferred primary winners are:
Republicans - Ed Scholl, Mike Johnson, Jim Roberts, Elfriede Werner. Democrats - John Flynn, Michele Scarborough, Dave Wilsey. There is no qualified fourth candidate.
If these seven are all on the November ballot, Quakertown 2007 will indeed be Year One of the long-overdue reforms in our town. It's up to you.