Less local news coverage = more municipal monkey business

Jenkintown residents should easily identify with a segment aired on today’s Saturday Weekend Edition with Scott Simon. In that segment Scott spoke with professor Meghan Rubado, who explained how shrinking newsrooms can potentially impact the number of candidates who run not just for mayor, but for any local elected position.

After the remarkable election Jenkintown had two years ago where a write-in candidate for mayor garnered more than 35% of the vote, it looks like we’ll be getting back to normal this November. In Jenkintown, no one runs for office. They are appointed and serve until they’re sick of serving. This describes both Borough Council AND the Jenkintown school board.

Ms. Rubado’s study asserts citizens left unaware of their officials activities won’t find motivation to launch a challenge. Sound familiar, Jenkintown?

A simple request for Jenkintown’s next government

Dear fellow Jenkintown residents:

Consider this a modest request.

In a town as small and as charming as Jenkintown, you wouldn’t think we’d have to remind ourselves about how its government should treat us. Events of the past three or more years have proven otherwise.

We have an election coming up next year. Nearly half the members of Council will face reelection, and if past years provide any insight, those in power will stay in power.

Unless…

Unless we can channel the outrage of the past fourteen months into something positive, such as showing the door to as many members of the current council as possible.

We recognize that some of the Volunteer Twelve actually serve with good intentions and bring some solid ideas, but we also know that any effort to loosen the grip of Jenkintown’s Gang of Four (Kilkenny, Pancoe, Bunker, and Locke) on our municipal agenda requires running a battering ram into what has become a brick wall of intransigence, incompetence, and corruption.

We need to see independently minded citizens, unaffiliated with the local Democratic party committee, on that board. These can be Democrats themselves or otherwise. The very future of this town depends upon it.

We need good people to step forward and challenge this ugly status quo. And if these people need an ideological blueprint befitting of the once and future great town of Jenkintown, we’re happy to get the discussion started.

Statement of Principles for the Future Governance of Jenkintown

We are citizens of Jenkintown concerned by the growing degree of discord in our community, by our government’s lack of transparency, and by the lack of professionalism and civility too-often displayed by those who represent us.

To ensure that Jenkintown remains a family-friendly, cohesive, inclusive, fiscally responsible, and viable community for generations to come, and because we do not believe our government has competently or honestly represented our community or stewarded its progress, we propose the following guiding principles for a future government. 

  • That our town benefits from its community enhancing attributes such as its small size, its fine schools, and its easy access to transit. We take pride in its diverse housing stock, its walkable town center, and traditional, timeless character.
  • That time does not stand still, and while we welcome progress that advances the Borough’s quality of life, we also expect a voice in how that progress develops and we expect our leaders, elected and otherwise, to listen to us.
  • That out tax dollars pay for professionalism and efficiency in our government, but not at the expense of transparency and responsiveness to our inquiries.
  • That any major commitment taken by our government is only made after timely and ordered public input sought out well in advance of any decision.
  • That our government engage us by making use of the latest technology as practical and allowable beyond what is strictly required for public notification, consideration, and participation.
  • That our leaders and council members present themselves with all necessary civility and deference as befitting of a public servant in any discussion of public matters in any public forum, electronic or otherwise.
  • That since ours is an unusually small town with an unusually large number of council representatives, we expect them to make all possible effort to actively seek input from their residents of their wards — much like a business would reach out to its customers to provide better service. 
  • That our representatives not only enact our ordinances, but fairly and consistently enforce them.

We welcome your comments and any effort you might suggest to finally get this town back on track.