Longtime Educator Running For Doylestown Mayor

DOYLESTOWN, PA — Walking the streets of Doylestown Borough, Judith Fraivillig has to pinch herself to make sure she's not dreaming. That's how much the longtime Philadelphia area educator says she enjoys the borough's vibrant cultural scene, with its boutique shops, historic farms, castles and art galleries all within a roughly two-mile radius.

She hopes to bring that same passion, energy and excitement she has for the borough to the mayoral office in November. The 59-year-old borough resident is running for the seat after Mayor Ron Strouse, a Democrat who was elected in 2013, announced he would not seek a third term.

A Bethlehem native, Fraivillig received her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and became a science teacher in the Philadelphia area. After earning her PhD at Northwestern University, she became a math education professor at Rider University. She now works as an education consultant, and for the past 20 years, she's considered Doylestown her home.

"I was born to be here," she said.

Fraivillig said she's running as a "progressive and pragmatic" leader for the borough with fresh perspectives and innovative thinking. (Her campaign slogan is "In with the bold!".) She has volunteered with Planned Parenthood Keystone, the Bucks County Women's Advocacy Coalition and the Bucks County Women's Resource Empowerment Network.

"My last name literally translates to 'volunteer.' It's got me into trouble. It got me running for mayor."

An effective mayor is a charismatic ambassador for the borough with a strong grasp of the local issues who can connect people, she said.

"That's what I do. I connect different groups, different perspectives. My skillset is bringing together folks for common cause, even folks who don't share the same outlook on life."

While she considers economic revitalization to be her top priority for the borough, she's also pushing for balanced development in Doylestown, where several high-profile development projects have been proposed in the past several years, including 200 luxury apartments in the Doylestown Shopping Center, at least 150 apartments and commercial space at 280 N. Broad St. and a mixed-use commercial and residential development at the former Intelligencer property, across the street.

"I think new growth will bring prosperity and foot traffic to our downtown, which can attract young families, but we need to be smart about how we build," she said. "Each project in isolation looks great, but you need to think about infrastructure and how it all works together. It’s complex. There are no simple answers."

Climate change is also one of her top concerns, which is why she wants the borough to reduce carbon emissions, conserve resources and invest in mitigation strategies, which can be done through tree planting initiatives, rainwater reclamation and streamlining waste collection, she said.

As an educator, she's seen the energy children bring to the classroom, which is why she wants to get more kids involved in municipal government.

"We need civic education in this country. There's a lot of people who really don't understand what's going on. You start with kids. I want our younger kids to understand what local government does. I want to open that door at Borough Hall."

Fraivillig is one of three Democrats running in the May 18 primary. Noni West, who serves as vice president on borough council, is running with Strouse as her campaign manager. Larissa Hopwood, a teacher and career musician, announced her bid in February.

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