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Before I got involved in local government some 20 years ago, I had a very distorted view of what can and can’t be done by local government. (Legally, at least!) In Radnor Township, there are two separately elected bodies, Township Commissioners and the School Board. Many folks do not understand that these are distinct entities with individual rules and responsibilities. I am primarily interested in Township Commissioners and think that you may be interested to learn more about them as well.Radnor Township is governed by seven elected Commissioners and is run in accordance with our Township Code, the Home Rule Charter, and most importantly, the Pennsylvania Municipalities’ laws. The Township can only serve, or punish, within the confines of these rules. Many times you will hear people say, “Can’t the Township do something about that?” and often, the answer is no. The township can operate a police force, plow your streets, pick up your trash and regulate zoning and such. By the laws, all decisions and the related deliberations are supposed to be made in the “sunshine.” There are some limited exceptions to this rule; personnel and real estate negotiations, for example. There is obviously a degree of flexibility in the implementation of these laws; however, problems can arise. This can manifest itself in the form of special deals, favoring one party over another, twisting the rules or selective enforcement. This has happened in the past and continues to happen today. For this reason, I want to be involved. I am no Don Quixote, but none-the-less proper government is ultimately the best solution for all of us. This is the key to keeping Radnor a great place to live, now and in the future.
Over the next several years there are several significant issues that are facing Radnor Township. These issues affect your taxes and the quality of life. Amongst these issues are:
Fiscal recovery / Taxes / Expenses
Staffing (Manager and Solicitor)
Unfunded retirement and banked time.
Implementation of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan
Utilization of Township Building
Acquisition and Preservation of Open Space
If these issues are not dealt with in this fashion we can end up with higher taxes for “services” that do not serve our Ward, continuance of the erosion of the quality of our neighborhood, infill housing, monsterization (construction of houses that are out of character for the neighborhood and too large for the lots), disappearing open space and viewscapes, increased problems with stream flooding and traffic, traffic, traffic.
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