This year Chadds Ford is fortunate to have two candidates for supervisor who are well meaning, hard working and experienced. I commend my opponent for running an appropriate and fair campaign. I believe I deserve your vote because Chadds Ford needs a new perspective in its township government. I am running because I know, and feel the majority of residents agree, that an open exchange of diverse views is best for all of us: Republicans, Democrats, and independents alike.
I am running for township supervisor to represent the entire community of Chadds Ford. When I grew up my father was dedicated to community service and volunteering. He was even chairperson of the local Republican Party. I watched him spend countless hours volunteering for numerous community groups. That same devotion to community service became part of me and I too have spent numerous hours donating my time to the school district and the township.
I have been living in this township for 20 years. Along with my husband, I have raised two children that have gone through the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District, graduating from Unionville High School. I have a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in energy and environmental policy. For the past 15 years I have worked in local government administration; first in West Whiteland Township, then in Westtown, and most recently in London Grove. Between my education and work experienced I have become well versed in many aspects of Township administration such as open space management and preservation, storm water management, recycling, grant writing, ordinance development, budgeting, and personnel.
I am passionate about environmental issues and have been committed to the protection of open space and limited development as exhibited by my work in other townships. Our community is being besieged by development both within the township and in our neighboring townships. Whether it is the loop road, or development of the Woodlawn Trustee parcel, [in Concord Township] I promise that I will do everything within my power to curtail any development that will be detrimental to our residents, either from an environmental or an infrastructure perspective. Development projects can and will continue in Chadds Ford, but they must have as little impact on our community as possible and all concerns of residents must be heard and responded to promptly.
I am not going to promise one constituency or another that I will side with them before this election, or more importantly, before there is a final plan to evaluate. What I will promise is that if I am elected I will listen to all points of view, I will know the project thoroughly, and I will make my decision based on what is best for the entire township. Special interests should not take precedent over what is good for the township at large. But, the question before the voters of Chadds Ford is: Who will follow through with these priorities? The candidate supported by the current board and those that have been running Chadds Ford for as long as any of us can remember, or the candidate from outside the establishment with 15 years of experience in local governments committed to environmentally sustainable development.
As supervisor, it is so important to have the background and expertise to “Ask the Right Questions” in order to provide proper oversight of Township staff. With my years of experience working for other local townships, I can ask these questions and make sure that staff are doing their jobs in the most comprehensive, transparent, and effective manner possible. Whether you are a Republican, Democrat, or independent you want your town run by competent and experienced people. In the past, Chadds Ford has not always had the staff it deserves. If I am elected I will make sure that experience and competence come first.
I believe that your party affiliation should not matter when being considered for positions on township boards and committees. What matters is what one can bring to the table. By including everyone who wants to serve, we foster good governance. Questions are asked and policies are debated, bringing efficiency in government. Frank Murphy has called for more volunteerism, which I applaud, but he has not addressed the insulated culture in our township which has kept qualified volunteers from serving on committees because their party or their views did not match closely enough with those in power. The only pre-requisite for volunteering on a board or commission should be that you are a resident of the township. To have the best government, we need to welcome all our residents to get involved.
I believe the lack of diversity on boards and commissions and the lack of proper oversight has been at the root of some of the mistakes we’ve seen over the past few years. The former township manager was forced to resign because of these mistakes. I commend the current township supervisors for their efforts to fix the tax situation, but I contend that real progress will only come when there is true openness and when all voices are heard and embraced. My campaign is based on the premise that we need greater transparency and communication from the board of supervisors. That is why I proposed a newsletter six years ago when I was running for supervisor, and that is why if I am elected my first priority will be casting some much needed sunlight on the meetings of the board and inviting everyone to get involved. I propose that that there should also be an e-mail list of residents who want to be informed about upcoming meetings and events. Residents will be updated on a timely basis, so no one will be excluded from, or uninformed about, important township meetings where decisions will be made. Your voice will be heard.
We cannot continue with the status quo. Chadds Ford deserves better. From my experience working in other townships, I can tell you that local government runs best when all residents are embraced and encouraged to volunteer. We have so many wonderfully talented people in our town and we could achieve so much if we all worked together. We deserve competent, capable, experienced, and diverse leadership and we deserve local government free of exclusivity and cronyism.
The future of Chadds Ford is truly in the hands of the voters this year, and as candidate for Supervisor I take this responsibility very seriously. Having lived and raised a family here for 20 years, I know how important it is to protect the character of this special place. On Nov. 5 we are not just voting for ourselves. We are voting for our children as well. It is time to turn the page and begin a new era of open and inclusive governance in Chadds Ford. I ask you for your vote and I thank you for your time.
Rhona Klein
Chadds Ford Township
See Contributors Page
https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/
