Friends, Neighbors and Fellow Upper Merion Area Residents:

At the Monument in Valley Forge

We are now a little more than 2 months away from the April 1 application deadline for the Board of Community Assistance (BCA) grant and scholarship program.

The BCA and the funds it disburses was created as a result of agreements which township negotiated with our friends at Valley Forge Casino Resort. There are 5 members of the BCA – 3 are picked by the Board of Supervisors and must be township residents, 2 are picked by the casino. These individuals review the dozens of applications the BCA receives each year and they make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors as to how to distribute funds the BCA receives from the casino. In the past these funds have amounted to approximately $150,000 per year however due to a change in the commonwealth’s gaming laws which permitted more slot machines at Valley Forge Casino Resort the amount the BCA will have to distribute will increase by a relatively significant amount in 2020 – in the neighborhood of $180,000 to $190,000. It’s also important to note the funds the BCA disburses are separate from the 2% from the slot machines and 1% from the table games which Upper Merion receives from the casino under Pennsylvania law.

There are two distinct categories of applicants who are eligible to receive funds from the BCA. The first group are graduating high school seniors who reside in Upper Merion Township and are interested in furthering their education at a college or trade school. As you may know, when I ran for Supervisor I campaigned specifically on this idea.  Prior to 2015 no applicant ever received more than a $5,000 scholarship. However, 4 years ago the BCA established the General Von Steuben Scholarship which provides one applicant each year with a $10,000 scholarship. Additionally, the BCA named a $5,000 scholarship after former township manager Ronald G. Wagenmann and the BCA bestows at least one of these per year. No scholarship recipient ever physically touches the money since it’s deposited directly with their institution of higher learning.  In the 7 year history of the BCA 151 students have received more than $325,000 in scholarships. Factors determining which applicants will receive scholarships includes but isn’t limited to financial need, academic merit, extra-curricular activities and/or involvement in the community, obstacles overcome and the quality of the community service project that’s being proposed.  As part of the scholarship application students are required to provide official transcripts, copies of standardized test scores and letters of recommendation. I cannot stress enough that applicants should not underestimate the importance of the quality of the community service project as part of the BCA members decision-making process. The amount of time an applicant must commit to performing the volunteer project is dependent on the amount of the scholarship. Here are some of the factors the BCA members have used when examining the community service project though the criteria can always be modified:

• Does the project benefit the residents of Upper Merion Township and/or fulfill a need in the community, and if so, how much?

• Does the project occur in Upper Merion? Does the project occur near Upper Merion? Does the project occur in a distant community which might be convenient for the applicant but minimizes the benefit of the project to Upper Merion residents?

• Is there an organization (governmental or non-governmental) backing or overseeing the project and its performance?

• Is the proposed project realistic?

• Is the project unique?

• Does the applicant have the skills which would allow him/her to complete this project?

• Does the application reflect an understanding that the BCA project is separate and apart from any other project the applicant is required to complete or will be working on including the applicant’s senior year high school project?

The second group of eligible applicants are non-profit and/or 501(c) organizations that provide services to Upper Merion Residents. This includes organizations which provide recreational, educational, protective, charitable and other types of services as well as Upper Merion Township citizens boards and committees. Actually, the rules that govern which organizations are eligible are intentionally very broad so as to allow each organization to best express why they should receive funds and for the members of the BCA to use their judgment to evaluate the applications. In the 7 year history of the BCA organizations have received 225 grants worth more than $710,000 and while the BCA provides funding primarily to Upper Merion based groups the BCA also recognizes that some county or regional organizations provide important services which benefit Upper Merion residents even if the organization isn’t actually physically located in Upper Merion. Laurel House, the Elmwood Park Zoo, the Literacy Council of Norristown and Mission Kids are good examples of this. The maximum any organization can receive is $20,000 and there is a small yet important and symbolic matching fund requirement for organizations. I encourage organizations which apply for funding every year to take note that BCA members are becoming increasingly cautious about awarding organizations a grant for the same project year after year. Additionally, applications containing specific project details and cost breakdowns are usually viewed more favorably than applications filled with financial or project generalizations. Lastly I can’t emphasize enough the importance of grant recipients sending a member of their organization to the annual award ceremony, completing the year-end report and finishing their project within a year. Organizations that don’t do these are at a significant disadvantage to receive funding in the future.

I also want to stress that lobbying or knowing me or any other Supervisor does not make it more likely that an applicant will receive a scholarship or grant. The Supervisors don’t make the recommendations, that’s the responsibility of the BCA members and they work very hard to review the myriad of applications thoroughly. As liaison to the BCA I also read every application so I know the BCA members often make very difficult decisions. Also, the BCA can change what they’re looking for from year to year so a successful scholarship or grant applicant one year might not be successful in a different year.

The BCA application deadline is April 1 and it’s a firm deadline. Late applications are almost certain to be rejected. Grant applications must be filed every year and a successful or unsuccessful organization application in a previous year definitely doesn’t guarantee a similar result this year. Additional information on the BCA and the applications can be found by clicking this link and completed applications can be dropped off at the township building administration or submitted electronically. Please note that the application for scholarships is different than the organizational grant application. Award recipients will be announced at either the April or May Board of Supervisors business meeting and they will also be notified by mail. Moreover the past few years I’ve posted the list of recipients on my Upper Merion Supervisor Greg Waks Facebook page shortly after the Board of Supervisors ratifies the recommendations and I anticipate doing the same this year. As always there will be an extremely nice ceremony at the Radisson to honor the recipients.

Good luck to all the applicants!

Greg

Last night the Board of Supervisors approved the 2020 Budget.

At the Monument in Valley Forge

The Upper Merion Township Budget is actually three budgets: the operating budget, the capital budget and the sewer budget.  The operating budget at approximately $46.57 million is by far the largest budget and it funds the day to day operations of the township.  The driving force of Upper Merion’s operating budget will always be employee salaries and benefits.

Our biggest source of operating revenue originates with Act 511 taxes – that’s the revenue we derive from businesses in our township and in 2020 we’re projecting around $17.99 million (or 38.64% of our operating revenue) from Act 511 taxes.  On top of that we also expect to receive about $4.2 million from commercial real estate taxes.  These revenue streams are two of the many reasons why a prosperous business community benefits Upper Merion residents.  Other important sources of revenue includes the casino, funds from various fees and permits, grants, and real estate transactions – the latter can provide a huge sum to both the township and the school district when a large property is sold.

Budgets are inherently about priorities and a major priority of this Board of Supervisors remains investing in our community.  The 2020 Upper Merion Township budget substantially increases the township’s dedicated capital millage. On a raw dollar basis the dedicated capital budget is expanding from about $500,000 a year to over $915,000 a year. This $415,000+ increase breaks down to an additional $300,000 worth of millage for general capital and more than $115,000 worth of millage for fire services capital. This significant increase in dedicated capital funding is a long term move to build and maintain our infrastructure.  One of the major capital purchases the township will be making is another snow removal truck.  It’ll be very expensive however the township expects to recoup the cost of the truck in approximately 10 years since we will use 1 less independent contractor.  Another significant capital investment will be the expansion of the child watch space at the Upper Merion Community Center which will allow kids to be separated by age with games and activities suited to each age group.

While Upper Merion is considered an affluent township the Board of Supervisors is well aware that most of our residents are not rich and some face real challenges.  As part of the 2020 Upper Merion Township operating budget we will be hiring an employee to find ways to help residents who due to financial or other reasons face significant hurdles.  This employee will work with organizations both public and private to ensure that vital resources get to Upper Merion residents who need them.  Thankfully many of our township’s best services are free including our public park system.  So Upper Merion Township will be hiring another parks maintenance employee to ensure our parks look as good as reasonably possible.  There are also funds in the budget to potentially support a bond issue which would most likely be related to the expansion of Heuser Park.  The Upper Merion Township Library is another great and free resource and the township is increasing the library’s dedicated funding so its budget is less reliant on budget transfers.

Recently, Moody’s re-evaluated Upper Merion Township’s fiscal health and its comments included, “the debt and pension liabilities of the township are low overall (and) are consistent with its assigned rating of AAA,”  “(t)he credit position for Upper Merion Township is superior,” and “(t)he township has a strong financial position that is aligned with the assigned rating of AAA.”  These quotes are affirmed by Upper Merion achieving budget surpluses the past four years including a surplus in excess of $420,000 in 2018.  Just as importantly these surpluses have been accompanied by key infrastructure investments and dramatically expanded services including the extremely affordable public pool, the community center, a permanent home for the Senior Service Center, the hiring of our first-ever full time firefighters, investing millions in trails and sidewalks, the 2020 investments mentioned above and much more.  However, due to operating budget pressures and our commitment to long-term infrastructure funding for the first time in a decade it’s fiscally prudent to raise taxes by about $4 a month for the average homeowner – by contrast in the 25 years prior to 2011 Upper Merion Township raised real estate taxes 10 times.

Upper Merion Township is known throughout the region for our high level of services, economic and social opportunities, innovative government and reasonable tax burden.  That’s why so many people want to move in our community and these are values to which my fellow Supervisors and I remain dedicated.  The 2020 Budget reinforces these values.  If you’d like to review the 2020 Upper Merion Township Budget you can do so by clicking this link.

Sincerely,

Greg

A Day in the Life.

At the Monument in Valley Forge

Last year in response to a question from a resident I wrote a lengthy piece about what it’s like to be a Supervisor.  Relatively recently a resident asked me to describe a typical busy day for a Supervisor.  In response to this question here’s a general township related activities timeline from this past Tuesday, May 7.  The timeline below doesn’t include spending a few minutes here and there reading emails and thinking about various township matters.

The times listed below are approximates.

6:40 a.m. – I wake up.  Shortly thereafter I check personal, township and work email.  I rarely eat breakfast and this day was no different. After about 30 minutes of working on my full time job I’m feeling a little sluggish so I run out to Wawa to get some coffee as I’m not a huge coffee drinker so I don’t keep coffee in the house.

7:25 a.m. -  A resident approaches me at Wawa and she tells me she appreciates my social media posting.  I ask the resident for her name and thank her for the good feedback.  Residents frequently approach me when I’m in public.

7:40 a.m. -  I publish a post on Facebook about the upcoming Upper Merion Township Pool open house.

8:30 a.m. -  I call Supervisor Tina Garzillo to respond to a question.  The call lasts around 5 minutes.

11:10 a.m. – I proactively contact a resident who is a leader in her neighborhood to inform her well in advance of a possible issue.  We exchange messages for about 15 minutes.

11:45 a.m. – In response to a request I received from a new small business in King of Prussia a few days prior I publish a post on Facebook about a discounted medical marijuana program.

11:55 a.m. – I receive a text from an active township resident asking me when she can call me to talk about an issue.  I tell her now is a good time.  The call lasts about 10 minutes.  The activity during the past hour and the upcoming Chair/Solicitor Meeting results in me skipping lunch.

12:20 p.m. – I head to the township building for Chair/Solicitor Meeting.  Chair/Solicitor Meeting is held almost every Tuesday around 12:30 p.m.  The purpose of Chair/Solicitor Meeting is to review the agendas for the coming weeks and to communicate with key township personnel about important issues. There’s never a quorum of the Board of Supervisors at Chair/Solicitor Meeting and we don’t make any substantive decisions.  In fact there was one issue in which we wanted to consult Supervisor Bill Jenaway so we called him and Vice Chair Carole Kenney was required to step out of the room until after we finished discussing the matter and Supervisor Jenaway was off the phone.  Additionally we often meet with various stakeholders including representatives of resident groups, local organizations, redevelopers and/or businesses.  There was one meeting scheduled with a developer at Chair/Solicitor Meeting but he didn’t show up. No shows are rare. The meeting ends around 1:20 p.m. making this one of the quicker Chair/Solicitor Meetings as typically these meetings run 2-3 hours.

1:30 p.m. – A resident reaches out to me to express appreciation for working to resolve a matter on his street.   I respond about an hour later.

1:40 p.m. -  I head to the King of Prussia Mall for the presentation of the King of Prussia Restaurant Week check to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).  A resident attending the check presentation talks to me about a township issue.  I also have a conversation with a CHOP representative about the timeline for their hospital groundbreaking.  I speak for about 2 minutes and take a few pictures.  I arrive home around 2:40 p.m. and I have a snack.

3:50 p.m. – A resident gives me a call to talk about an issue.  We play a little phone tag but we eventually connect and the call lasts about 20 minutes.

4:20 p.m. -  I receive pictures from the CHOP check presentation. I fit in drafting a lengthy post in between non-township work and other matters.  I share the pictures on Facebook and Twitter around 5 p.m.

4:40 p.m. – I call a leader in the business community to inform him another member of the business community has an issue he would like addressed.  The call lasts about 5 minutes.

5:30 p.m. – A resident reaches out to me about playing pickleball tonight.  It’s been a beautiful afternoon and I haven’t really been able to enjoy it.  This time of year I have meetings around 50% of Monday-Thursday nights.  But not tonight.  We play from around 6:30 – 8:15 p.m.

8:30 p.m. – I microwave a large dinner.  I generally like to cook dinner but I just wasn’t in the mood to cook tonight.

9:50 p.m. -  A resident reaches out to me about posting something on my Facebook page.  I agree to do so and we communicate online for about 25 minutes so I can get the details correct.

10:40 p.m. – I turn off my laptop and mute the smart phone.  No more work tonight unless it’s an emergency.

11:45 p.m. – I fall asleep.

In between all of the above I managed about 7 1/2 hours of work at my non-township full time job.

While no two days as Supervisor are ever the same I would describe what you’ll read above as a typical Tuesday for this time of year. Tuesdays and Thursdays are usually the busiest days of the week.  May is always a busy month.

Technically the position of Upper Merion Township Supervisor is a part time job which many people traditionally view as an evenings and weekends position.  The reality is serving as an active and engaged Supervisor in Upper Merion Township is now much closer to a full time job especially if you’re Chair of Vice Chair.

We are now less than a month away from the April 1 application deadline for the Board of Community Assistance (BCA) grant and scholarship program.

At the Monument in Valley Forge

The BCA and the funds it disburses was created as a result of agreements which township negotiated with our friends at Valley Forge Casino Resort. There are 5 members of the BCA – 3 are township residents, 2 are picked by the casino. These individuals review the dozens of applications the BCA receives each year and they make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors as to how to distribute funds the BCA receives from the casino.  In the past few years these funds have amounted to approximately $150,000 per year however with the casino recently adding additional slot machines this number will increase by a relatively significant amount over the next two years.   It’s also important to note the funds the BCA disburses are separate from the 2% from the slot machine and 1% from the table games which Upper Merion receives from the casino under Pennsylvania law.

There are two distinct categories of applicants who are eligible to receive funds from the BCA. The first group are graduating high school seniors who reside in Upper Merion Township and are interested in furthering their education at a college or trade school. As you may know, when I ran for Supervisor I campaigned specifically on this idea.  Factors determining which applicants will receive scholarships includes but isn’t limited to financial need, academic merit, extra-curricular activities and/or involvement in the community, obstacles overcome and the quality of the community service project that’s being proposed.  As part of the scholarship application students are required to provide official transcripts, copies of standardized test scores and letters of recommendation. Applicants should not underestimate the importance of the quality of the community service project as part of the BCA members decision-making process.  Furthermore volunteer plans submitted with an organization committed to guaranteeing the volunteer project is performed will probably perform better than plans with no backing.  Ideally any project should directly benefit residents of Upper Merion Township. The actual amount of community service hours which scholarship recipients are required to perform is a sliding scale based on size of the scholarship received. Prior to 2015 no applicant ever received more than a $5,000 scholarship. However, 3 years ago the BCA established the General Von Steuben Scholarship which provides one applicant each year with a $10,000 scholarship. Additionally, the BCA named a $5,000 scholarship after former township manager Ronald G. Wagenmann and the BCA provides at least one of those per year. No scholarship recipient ever physically touches the money since it’s deposited directly with their institution of higher learning.  In the 6 year history of the BCA 133 students have received more than $272,000 in scholarships and last year BCA awarded more scholarship funds ($63,000) than ever before.

The second group of eligible applicants are non-profit and/or 501(c) organizations that provide services to Upper Merion Residents. This includes organizations which provide recreational, educational, protective, charitable and other types of services as well as Upper Merion Township citizens boards and committees. Actually, the rules that govern which organizations are eligible are intentionally very broad so as to allow each organization to best express why they should receive funds and for the members of the BCA to use their judgment to evaluate the applications. While the BCA strives to provide funding primarily to Upper Merion based groups the BCA also recognizes that some county organizations provide important services which benefit Upper Merion residents even if the organization isn’t actually physically located in Upper Merion. Laurel House, the Elmwood Park Zoo, the Literacy Council of Norristown and Mission Kids are good examples of this. The maximum any organization can receive is $20,000 though no organization has ever received more than $10,000 and there is a small yet important and symbolic matching fund requirement for organizations. In the 6 year history of the BCA organizations have received 187 grants worth more than $612,000.  I encourage organizations which apply for funding every year to take note that BCA members are becoming increasingly cautious about awarding organizations a grant for the same project year after year.  Additionally, applications containing specific project cost breakdowns and specific project details are usually viewed more favorably than applications filled with financial or project generalizations.  Lastly I can’t emphasize enough the importance of grant recipients sending a member of their organization to the annual award ceremony, completing the year-end report and finishing their project within a year. Organizations that don’t do these are at a significant disadvantage to receive funding in the future.

I also want to stress that lobbying or knowing me or any other Supervisor does not make it more likely that an applicant will receive a scholarship or grant.  The Supervisors don’t make the recommendations, that’s the responsibility of the BCA members and they work very hard to review the myriad of applications thoroughly. As liaison to the BCA I also read every application so I know the BCA members often make very difficult decisions.  Also, the BCA can change what they’re looking for from year to year so a successful scholarship or grant applicant one year might not be successful in a different year.

The BCA application deadline is April 1 and it’s a firm deadline. Late applications are almost certain to be rejected. Applications must be filed every year and a successful or unsuccessful organization application in a previous year definitely doesn’t guarantee a similar result this year. The full text of the rules which governs the BCA and applications can be found by clicking this link and completed applications can be dropped off at the township building administration or submitted electronically. Please note that the application for scholarships is different than the organizational grant application. Award recipients will be announced at an upcoming Board of Supervisors meeting and they will also be notified by mail.  Moreover the past few years I’ve posted the list of recipients on my Upper Merion Supervisor Greg Waks Facebook page shortly after the Board of Supervisors ratifies the recommendations and I anticipate doing the same this year. There will be an extremely nice ceremony at the Radisson to honor the recipients.

Good luck to all the applicants!

Greg

At the Monument in Valley Forge

Last Thursday night the Board of Supervisors passed the 2019 Budget.

The Upper Merion Township budget is actually three budgets: the operating budget, the capital budget and the sewer budget.  The operating budget at $42.7 million is by far the largest budget and it funds the day to day operations of the township.  Our biggest source of operating revenue are Act 511 taxes – that’s the revenue we derive from businesses in our township and in 2019 we’re projecting $17.16 million (or 40.14% of our operating revenue) from Act 511 taxes.  On top of that we also expect to receive about $3.3 million from commercial real estate taxes.  These revenue streams are only 2 of the many reasons why a prosperous business community benefits Upper Merion residents.  Other important sources of revenue includes the casino, funds from various fees and permits, grants, and real estate transactions – the latter provides huge boons to both the township and the school district when a large property is sold.

Another source of funds for Upper Merion Township is the one you’re probably most familiar with – residential real estate taxes – though only 5.82% of our budgeted revenue comes from residential real estate taxes.  This Board of Supervisors is very proud of the fact that 2019 will be the 9th consecutive year without a tax increase which is the longest stretch of time on record without a tax hike.  During this period we have consistently achieved budget surpluses including surpluses in excess of $1 million for 3 consecutive years.  By contrast in the 25 years prior to 2011 taxes were raised 10 times including a 25% increase in 2005.  It’s a simple equation: the stronger our local economy, the greater the likelihood that we can produce budget surpluses and not raise taxes while simultaneously providing a high level of services and economic opportunities for our residents.

Budgets are inherently about priorities and a major priority of this Board of Supervisors is investing in our community.  The 2019 budget contains significant investments in the future of Upper Merion Township and our residents.  We will initiate studies on the future needs and demands on Heuser Park and the Upper Merion Township Pool.  While those studies will take time to complete and execute, in 2019 the township will be rehabbing and/or upgrading the following 10 parks:  Belmont, Bob Holland, Bob White, Executive Estates, Heuser, Merrill Young, Swedesburg, Upper Merion Township Building, Valley Forge Acres and William Wall.  We will also be adding a shade area at the Upper Merion Township Baby Pool.  As we observed this year projects can easily be delayed due to inclement weather and park improvements which we were unable to complete in 2018 will occur in 2019.  The township will also continue to advance the dog park project.

Improvements and planning aren’t just limited to parks and recreation as there will also be investments in other departments.  The Upper Merion Police Department has received funding for body cameras for all on-duty police officers.  The Public Information Office and the Administration will implement a new program to allow the township to internally track and determine the status of any issue brought to our attention.  The township library will begin work on a conceptual plan to analyze the future needs of the library.  Public works will be hiring 2 new parks maintenance employees and they will be cross-trained to serve as animal control officers and to assist with snow removal.

Much of this article is very similar to my articles about the 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 budgets.  That’s because passing an economically responsible budget is always one of our most important responsibilities.  We always underestimate our revenue and we always overestimate our expenses.  For example starting next year 100% of electricity Upper Merion Township purchases will be from renewable sources.  This move isn’t just environmentally responsible, it’s also economically responsible as it will save us approximately $750,000 in the next 4 years – savings which haven’t been factored into the 2019 Budget.

Passing a budget is fundamentally a team effort involving the Board of Supervisors, township management and staff.  Upper Merion Township is known throughout the region for our economic heft and forward thinking and we are determined to continue to enhance this reputation.  Additionally we must ensure that our community of opportunity is a community of opportunity for all of our residents.  The extremely affordable public pool, the community center, the hiring of a full time fire chief and 6 full time firefighters, the $10 internal minimum wage, the anti-discrimination ordinance and the BCA scholarship program are just some of the actions we’ve taken to turn this mantra into a reality.  However we know we need to do more and we have significant challenges ahead.  Still, I’m proud to be part of a board that’s made key infrastructure investments, accrued large budget surpluses, never raised taxes, dramatically reduced litigation, maintained our AAA bond rating, lauded by Moody’s for our financial stewardship and received multiple awards for economic leadership.

If you’d like to review the 2019 budgets or the township you can check it out by clicking this link.

Sincerely,

Greg

At the Monument in Valley Forge

For many years Upper Merion Township’s fire protection services have been provided by the King of Prussia, Swedeland and Swedesburg Volunteer Fire Companies.  Similarly, for decades Lafayette Ambulance and Rescue Squad has provided basic and advanced life support services to Upper Merion.  These organizations and their members have preserved and protected the community while saving millions of tax dollars.  In 2016 a Fire and Rescue Study was undertaken in order to look at the present and future status of our rescue services and the results are leading to some significant changes.

Perhaps the biggest difference in our public safety profile has been the recent hiring of six full-time firefighters who will work with our volunteers.  The training the new hires are undergoing was recently documented in an NBC-10 story which you can access by clicking this sentence.  The hiring of full-time firefighters isn’t an insignificant expense but it’s not feasible to expect volunteers to serve during the daytime hours. They have careers and other obligations.  Fortunately much of the cost for the first few years will be offset by a $1 million grant through the Department of Homeland Security’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program. Besides fighting fires, our firefighters will be performing rental inspections in Upper Merion which is related to their main function as firefighters as that’s risk mitigation.   This will also offset some of the costs of these new hires.

A second change will occur in the next few months as Lafayette Ambulance and Rescue Squad is transitioning from a private organization to a township operated service.  This decision was supported by Lafayette’s Board of Directors.  Bringing Lafayette in-house will also result in enhanced service delivery as it will allow the township to better plan and coordinate all emergency services.  This has obvious public health benefits and it may provide a financial benefit as well.

For any public service to maximize effectiveness it must evolve with the times.  When it comes to public safety this means investing in personnel and apparatus but it also means establishing outreach programs and adapting to technology.  The Upper Merion Police Department has doubled-down on community outreach through our Community Oriented Policing (COP) unit, participation in National Night Out, cop camp, the establishment of the Chaplain Program, involvement in Race for Peace and more.  Use of new technology will be evident in the near future as the township is funding body cameras for active duty police officers in the 2019 Budget.

The hiring of full-time firefighters and bringing Lafayette in house has necessitated some changes in the leadership of our public safety portfolio.  A few months ago Upper Merion hired Dennis Rubin to serve as our Fire and EMS Chief.  Chief Rubin has a substantial amount of experience having served in this capacity in major metropolitan areas including Atlanta and Washington DC.  Additionally, our Police Chief Tom Nolan now also holds the title of Public Safety Director and he will oversee all of our public safety services.

A few years ago a volunteer firefighter asked me if the Board of Supervisors was funding the Fire and Rescue Services Study just for show, or were we willing to follow some of the recommendations?  The answer to that question is evidenced by the current transformation.  Yes these changes might be dramatic but they’re also vital as a sound public safety profile is essential for the health, safety and welfare of our community both today and in the years to come.

Sincerely,

Greg

At the Monument in Valley Forge

Recently a resident asked me what a typical day for a Supervisor is like and I suspect that she’s not the only resident who might have this question. So I thought I’d share an expanded version of my answer.

I think it’s important to start by mentioning Supervisor is actually a part time position. Supervisors earn $4375 a year with no health or retirement benefits. I work full time outside of my role as Upper Merion Township Supervisor as do the 4 other members of the Board Supervisors (BOS). This along with limited space in the township building are two of the reasons we don’t have offices at the township building and as such much of our Supervisor work is done at home.

My typical day starts early in the morning and since I’m self employed and work from home, I turn on my laptop. I begin my full time work and I check my email and social media to see if I need to respond to anyone. Then I post something on Facebook though sometimes I’ll write it at an earlier time and set it to post automatically. Throughout the day I’ll hear from residents – usually 10-20 per day – though it can be substantially more. Other times I’ll attend meetings with residents and/or check something out which is occurring in the township. When I’m in public residents frequently approach me especially when I’m in the supermarket, the Community Center or at restaurants and my neighbors (and I have a lot of them) aren’t shy about interacting with me, either. I also regularly attend events throughout Upper Merion. This is very important regardless of whether they’re public township events or private events as it makes people, organizations and businesses feel good about their community and what they’re doing. It also increases public awareness and generates positive publicity. Attending functions often requires me to do some public speaking which is something I’ve come to enjoy and I find empowering because it enables me to overcome something which for a long time was one of my fears.

On certain days of the week I have additional responsibilities. Most Tuesday afternoons I attend Chair Sessions. There isn’t a quorum of the BOS at Chair Session; the only 2 Supervisors present are Chair and Vice Chair (I’m currently Vice Chair) and as such Chair Session isn’t actually a BOS meeting since you need a majority of the BOS to be present for an official meeting to occur. The purpose of Chair Session is to meet with key township staff to set and review the agendas for the coming weeks and to update the leadership of the BOS. We can’t make any substantive decisions at Chair Session because the majority of the BOS isn’t present. These sessions usually last 2-3 hours.

Thursdays are important days for the Supervisors because that’s usually when we hold our public meetings. Typically we hold 2-3 public meetings per month. One of these meetings is a workshop meeting, one is always a business meeting. Workshops tend to be more relaxed; we’re sitting around a table, we’re not wearing formal clothing, the meeting isn’t televised and we usually don’t vote on matters unless it’s pressing or a minor issue. Think of workshop meetings as a series of discussions. The second type of public Board of Supervisors’ meetings are business meetings and they are more formal, we dress up, they’re televised and that’s when most of our votes take place. Sometimes before workshop meetings and business meetings there is a zoning workshop meeting and these meetings are also open to the public. Most of the time before a meeting there is an executive session in which we talk about legal and/or personnel matters. Executive sessions are the only meetings at which a quorum of the BOS can be present and the meeting is closed to the public. Last Thursday night the Board of Supervisors meeting started around 6:15 and we finished at 9:30 p.m. because we had an executive session after the meeting. The 3 1/4 hours combined meeting length last Thursday night is pretty average.

Besides Board of Supervisors meetings there are other meetings Supervisors attend including citizen board meetings. There are around 2 dozen citizen boards in Upper Merion, many of which meet monthly and each one of them has a Supervisor who attends the meeting and serves as liaison. These meetings last anywhere from 1 hour to several hours. Supervisors normally have to prep for these meetings and depending on that citizen board and/or the issues which the citizen board will be discussing the amount of prep time can vary. For example, one of the citizen boards on which I serve as liaison is the Board of Community Assistance (BCA). The BCA doesn’t meet that often between June-February but come March it’s game on and to do my job as liaison to the BCA that’s an additional 10+ hours a week during that time period.

There are also 3 days a year that I spend all day interacting with residents. 2 of those 3 days are election day when I visit the voting precincts from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. The 3rd day occurs every February when I ask a very broad question on my Facebook page and I literally receive hundreds of responses. I also spend time each year knocking on doors to introduce/re-introduce myself to Upper Merion residents and answer questions and/or receive feedback. There are also days which some of my friends and colleagues have heard me refer to as “5 Outfit Days.” These are days in which there’s so much going on between township activities and meetings, my regular work and other stuff I essentially need to change my clothes to fit the occasion at least 5 times. This happens about once a month. A really good recent example of this occurred this past June 7. I started the day by briefly addressing some local business leaders, then I went back home, then onto the opening of the Upper Merion Area Community Cupboard, followed by the CHOP Press Conference at which I spoke, then back home, then to the township building for Chair Meeting, then back home for a few hours and then to the Upper Merion Community Center for a citizen board meeting and then back home.

All told the time commitment to serve on the Board of Supervisors is substantial and in my case that’s heightened because of my social media presence, my articles and my videos. Not every month is equally busy. The work level is very high between January-May and October-December with March and April being the most intense months, especially for me. That’s because March and April are well after the new year and everything is cranking, plus there’s an important public employment law conference I attend every year during which I’m in class all day, as well as joint meetings with our citizen boards and my aforementioned responsibilities with the BCA. October-December is extremely busy as that’s the heart of budget season and parties with matters before the BOS want to conclude their business before the holidays. Some years the summer is much slower though this year that hasn’t been the case. When you add it all up there are certain times of year where any Supervisor who puts forth the effort is going to put in at least 25-30 hours a week. There have been numerous weeks in which I’ve worked more than 40 hours on township matters. This week is actually an example of a quieter summer week however between meetings and communicating with residents I’m on pace to work 20 hours.

Hopefully this provides an overview of what it’s like to be a Supervisor though it really only skims the surface. It’s definitely not all fun and games – the time commitment is substantial and you’re subject to both legitimate criticism and on occasion unfair criticism. That being said the good definitely outweighs the bad and I have a great appreciation for anyone who is willing to put in the hours to do the job properly.

At the Monument in Valley Forge

We are now one month away from the March 15 application deadline for the Board of Community Assistance (BCA) grant and scholarship program.

The BCA was created as a result of 2 agreements that the township negotiated with our friends at Valley Forge Casino Resort. There are 5 members of the BCA – 3 are township residents, 2 are picked by the casino. These individuals review the dozens of applications the BCA receives each year and they make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors as to how to distribute approximately $150,000 per year the BCA receives from the casino. These funds are separate from the 2% of the revenue from the slot machines and 1% from the table games the township receives from the casino.

There are two distinct categories of applicants who are eligible to receive funds from the BCA. The first group are graduating high school seniors who reside in Upper Merion Township and are interested in furthering their education at a college or trade school. As you may know, when I ran for Supervisor I campaigned specifically on this idea.  Factors determining which applicants will receive scholarships includes but isn’t limited to financial need, academic merit, extra-curricular activities and/or involvement in the community, obstacles overcome and the quality of the community service project that’s being proposed.  As part of the scholarship application students are required to provide official transcripts, copies of standardized test scores and letters of recommendation. One application tip: do not underestimate the importance of the quality of the community service project as part of the BCA members decision-making process.  Ideally the project should directly benefit residents of Upper Merion Township. The actual amount of community service hours which scholarship recipients are required to perform is a sliding scale based on size of the scholarship received. Prior to 2015 no applicant ever received more than a $5,000 scholarship. However, 3 years ago the BCA established the General Von Steuben Scholarship which provides one applicant each year with a $10,000 scholarship. Additionally, the BCA named a $5,000 scholarship after former township manager Ronald G. Wagenmann and the BCA provides at least one of those per year. No scholarship recipient ever physically touches the money since it’s deposited directly with their institution of higher learning.  In the 5 year history of the BCA 106 students have received a combined $209,250 in scholarships. Last year there was a change in the way the BCA hands out scholarships as the average value of a scholarship increased significantly but fewer scholarships were awarded.

The second group of eligible applicants are non-profit and/or 501(c) organizations that provide services to Upper Merion Residents. This includes organizations which provide recreational, educational, protective, charitable and other types of services as well as Upper Merion Township citizens boards and committees. Actually, the rules that govern which organizations are eligible are intentionally very broad so as to allow each organization to best express why they should receive funds and for the members of the BCA to use their judgment to evaluate the applications. While the BCA strives to provide funding primarily to Upper Merion based groups there’s also a recognition that some county organizations provide important services that benefit Upper Merion residents even if the organization isn’t actually physically located in Upper Merion. Laurel House, the Elmwood Park Zoo, the Literacy Council of Norristown and Mission Kids are good examples of this. The maximum any organization can receive is $20,000 though no organization has ever received more than $10,000 and there is a small yet important and symbolic matching fund requirement for organizations.  My tip for organizations applying for grants is that applications containing specific project cost breakdowns and specific project details are usually viewed more favorably than applications filled with financial or project generalizations. In the 5 year history of the BCA organizations have received 155 grants worth more than $523,339.  I can’t stress enough the importance of grant recipients sending a member of their organization to the annual award ceremony, completing the year-end report and finishing their project within a year. Organizations that don’t do these are at a significant disadvantage to receive funding in the future.

I also want to stress that knowing a Supervisor does not make it more likely that an applicant will receive a scholarship or grant.  The Supervisors don’t make the recommendations, that’s the responsibility of the BCA members and they work very hard to review the myriad of applications thoroughly. Also, the BCA can change what they’re looking for from year to year so a successful applicant one year might not be successful in a different year.

The BCA application deadline is March 15th and it’s a firm deadline. Late applications are almost certain to be rejected. Applications must be filed every year and a successful or unsuccessful organization application in a previous year definitely doesn’t guarantee a similar result this year. The full text of the rules which governs the BCA and applications can be found by clicking this link and completed applications can be dropped off at the township building administration or submitted electronically. Please note that the application for scholarships is different than the organizational grant application. Award recipients will be announced at an upcoming Board of Supervisors meeting and they will also be notified by mail. There will be an extremely nice ceremony at the Radisson to honor the recipients.

Good luck to all the applicants!

Sincerely,

Greg

Happy New Year!

At the Monument in Valley Forge

In 2017 Upper Merion bolstered its position as suburban Philadelphia’s economic powerhouse and paragon of fiscally responsible government. Our AAA bond rating was affirmed, the unemployment rate is 2.9%, the township accrued a $1.22 million budget surplus the previous year and for a record 8th consecutive year the Board of Supervisors didn’t raise taxes. Furthermore, dozens of new businesses were established – one in an office that was vacant the previous eight years. Additionally, several properties were sold for huge sums resulting in very large real estate transfer taxes for the township and school district. Upper Merion’s rising revenues helped us establish a $10 internal minimum wage for township employees, revert the administration to a 5 day workweek and eliminate the credit card processing fee for parks and recreation programs. For all of these reasons and more the Board of Supervisors received another award for our economic leadership.

2017 saw many new or expanded activities in our community.  In its first calendar year the Upper Merion Community Center recorded 91,784 visitors and in partnership with the Montgomery County Guild of Professional Artists established the 431 Art Gallery which highlights the work of local artists. The Upper Merion Swimming Pool’s facilities were upgraded and membership grew to 2,168 people. The Upper Merion Library held numerous cultural and educational gatherings to celebrate and develop the diversity, talents and interests of our residents. The Board of Supervisors revised the alcohol ordinance to permit beer tents at township events and this increased attendance for our annual 4th of July Celebration and other functions.  Parks and Recreation expanded the annual Township Fair and Fall Fest and established its first Holiday Village. Our business community also contributed with Xfinity’s movie nights at the King of Prussia Town Center, a food truck festival at the King of Prussia Mall and Wegmans re-creating Tokyo’s incredible Tsukiji Fish Market.

Our township also solidified its status as a leader on environmental issues. We joined SolSmart which is a national program to encourage local solar energy development, installed signage to identify streams, expanded the use of LED lighting and utilized goats to remediate invasive species at Bob White Park. Furthermore in accordance with state regulations we initiated a study on sediment runoff. For the 41st straight year Upper Merion was named a Tree City, the 2nd longest streak in Pennsylvania. Our public works department held an electronics recycling and paper shredding event and our police department participated in national drug takeback day. These are some of the reasons why Upper Merion again received Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association’s diamond level sustainability award.

I expect 2018 to be an equally dynamic year including:

• The King of Prussia Mall submitting a redevelopment plan for the former JC Penney site;

• A massive investment in our parks including restoring the township building pond, improving 8 township parks, establishing a community garden and constructing a dog park;

• A mind-body studio and 2 more general purpose rooms opening in the lower level of the Upper Merion Community Center;

• Construction of the First Avenue Linear Park and First Avenue Road Diet;

• The new Caley Elementary and Gulph Elementary will open;

• A new sidewalk starting near the King Manor NHSL station to US-202 to Saulin Boulevard to Henderson Road;

• An effort to make the Upper Merion Community Center and the Upper Merion Township Pool available for residents who want to join but lack the financial means;

• Two types businesses which don’t currently operate in Upper Merion will open: a brewery and a medical marijuana dispensary;

• Progress on the Crow Creek Trail which starts at high school/middle school area, continuing through Volpi Common and the woods to the Community Center;

• Upper Merion Area School District School Board progressing towards a much needed new high school; and,

• Hiring a fire chief and 3 full time firefighters as part of the ongoing reorganization of our township government.

During my campaign for Supervisor in 2009 and my re-election campaign in 2015 the only promise I made was to constantly communicate with my fellow Upper Merion residents. Through my emails, social media accounts (which are linked below), videos and visibility throughout our community I’ve worked to live up to that commitment and I will continue to do so.

I hope you had a great holiday season and best wishes for an excellent 2018!

Sincerely,

Greg