Upper Moreland Election Coverage: Ward 4 on the Issues

Patch brings you the first of its three-part series on Ward Commissioner candidates’ thoughts on the following township issues and concerns:

• Revitalization

• Fiscal Responsibility

• Storm Water Management

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Speaking with Patch in separate interviews, Ward 4 candidates and provide their responses below:

On Revitalization

Dan Denslow

Denslow does not agree that Revitalization in Upper Moreland is heading in the “right direction.”

“All the commissioners want are the big box stores,” he said, explaining that while the township collects on sales taxes, the large businesseses’ presence in Upper Moreland has decreased the chances of success for smaller businesses.

“The center of Willow Grove needs to be made like Manayunk, Hatboro or New Hope,” he added.

Denslow said that in talking with voters, most residents want to buy from small businesses and work in small businesses, where, he says, there is room for monetary growth, which increases the chances of workers establishing roots in the township.

“They don’t want to buy from ,” he said. “They want to build their community.”

His vision for revitalization would be to dedicate the limited spaces eligible for development or revitalization in favor of small businesses, from restaurants to factories, and provide them with incentives toward green initiatives.

He said Upper Moreland should take a harder stance on inviting large businesses, and not be ready to “bend-over-backwards.”

Joe Lavalle

Lavalle said he definitely believes the township is heading in the right direction toward revitalization, in large part due to the efforts of the new . Lavalle, who is a member of the current township revitalization task force, said that he is impressed with the talent and diverse background of its members.

“I’ve supported participants on that committee from each ward in Upper Moreland, of all political parties,” he said. “They have looked at a very realistic and very common sense view of revitalization in Willow Grove.”

At the , the task force presented the public with several potential projects that could lead to revitalization.

He further described the task force as open, available and produces a climate of hard work and amiability among each other.

He said, even in a distressed economic environment, the task force has been able to advance talks with potential revitalization partners such as SEPTA and business leaders in the private sector.

For Lavalle, successful revitalization could mean township residents will have a stronger sense of community and the increased ability to raise a family and promote quality of life, which will attract other families, more business and jobs, pointing to as a recent revitalization success.

He added that cooperation from sitting commissioners is a must in order to complete suggested revitalization projects, where all commissioners must be well versed with each project, including the acquisition of any related grants and technical issues.

“We have a responsibility to all our applicants to make quick, clear and knowledgeable decisions,” Lavalle said.

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On Fiscal Responsibility

Joe Lavalle

Lavalle said that there were no reputable sources, neither in media or government that forecasted the recent economic downturn to be as abrupt and long-standing.

“Taking that into consideration, I think everyone, from our township to our residents, have re-thought how we handle things,” Lavalle said. “My objective is not to eliminate jobs at any level.”

Lavalle said that he has participated in taking a critical look at all the township employees, but said that he feels it is not in the best interest of residents to eliminate any police position or those in other departments as, he said, would likely decrease public safety and quality of life that is currently given to township residents.

“I don’t think there is much excess of the number of employees on our administrative staff,” Lavalle said. “We struggle with not replacing a few employees that have retired, but we deal with it, and we make it work.”

Lavalle said, the road toward fiscal responsibility is through knowledgeable spending.

“And, that goes far beyond salaries,” he said, explaining that in today’s environment, knowledgeable spending means having a critical look at the cost of materials, health care and pension spending, which are regulated through union contracts; and the use of consultants.

Dan Denslow

In his campaign literature (see photo gallery), Denslow pledges to cut waste and to scrutinize operations within the Township, “for the purposes of efficient government.”

This, he said, includes cutting “middle management” positions within township government and within the police department.

“I don’t want to take away jobs with people working at the front lines,” Denslow said, explaining that he is specifically targeting middle management positions to preserve township services, including police patrol, parks and recreation and trash pick up.

“I’m here for the people,” Denslow said, adding that tough decisions must be made.

Furthermore, and particularly within the police department, Denslow would suggest switching certain township employees that are full-time employees to part-time employees, so that township need not pay for their full health benefits. [Updated sentence, Nov. 3, 4:30 p.m.] Specifically, Denslow was referring to the Community Serivice Representative positions of the police department.

Throughout the year, at several finance and administrative committee meetings, Denslow has called for a financial audit sub-committee be formed, to review line items and suggest needed cuts to the budget.

According to Denslow, not only would this help with transparency of government, but also help commissioners avoid the need for future large tax increase, such as the 13.6-percent real-estate tax increase for 2011 budget.

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On Storm Water Management

Dan Denslow

Denslow said, if elected, he would actively seek ways of addressing infrastructure issues to the identified flood areas to stem private property damage.

He uses the area around his rental property on Vincent Road as an example of where the township government should have fixed a drainage issue sooner, as he said the foundation to a neighbor’s garage has nearly eroded away due to constant flooding.

“I’m a firm believer in, when you do something, you fix it right, you pay the money, and you never have to go back again,” he said.

Joe Lavalle

Lavalle said that the township’s aging infrastructure raises several major concerns, chief among them being storm water management. According to Lavalle, it was for that concern that the community development committee, which he currently chairs, presented to the board of commissioners the ordinance that will make new projects adhere to certain practices for storm water management, including the addition of rain garden structures.

“The rain gardens will retain our storm water and solve our landscaping concerns,” he said. “That is an enhancement of the catch basins and retention basins of years ago.”