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LWV LMN Observer Corps Lets You Know What's Happening

Special thanks to Dotty Sue Lotke for her reports on the workings of our Township. We have decided to devote this entire page to the important work of the Observer Corps. Members can find these reports in print in the Voter Newsletter of LWV LMN. Overflow of these reports will be posted on this webpage. Friends can find this information on this page in the Voter Information Section of the website or in our elibrary section in the pdfs of the Voter Newsletter. Any errors, comments, or questions please click here to email us at lwvoters@mac.com.

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LWV LMN Observer Corps, Oct. 2008

LWV LMN Observer Corps, May 2008

LWV LMN Observer Corps, April 2008

LWV LMN, Observer Corps, March 2008

LWV LMN, Observer Corps, February 2008

LWV of LMN, Observer Corps, May 2007

LWV LMN, Observer Corps, November 2007

LWV LMN– Observer Corps –December 2007

LWV – Observer Corps -October 2008

Ardmore Transit: SEPTA notified LM Township that up to $10 million in funding has been included in the Authority’s Fiscal Year 2009 Capital Budget and Fiscal Year 2009-2020 Cap Program for the Transit and Regional Rail Station Program to advance the transit improvements in Ardmore. This sum will be in addition to the over $11 million in other moneys for this project. The SEPTA grant must be spent on public transportation improvements. Plans include, but are not limited to, an ADA (Americans with Disability Act) accessible train station and ADA-accessible paths, and related bus transportation improvements. SEPTA would be given 300 parking spaces. This commitment of SEPTA funds is subject to the approval of the SEPTA Board and the availability of Federal Department of Transportation appropriations.

Ardmore Library: The Ardmore Free Library will receive a $5000 “Check Into Literacy” grant from Verizon. The funding will promote nutrition literacy as part of the Ardmore Library’s basic adult and early literacy program. The funding will be used to build a collection of library materials and for programs for families in the Ardmore community. Christine Steckel, Director of Libraries, noted that the goal will be to promote good nutritional habits and educate citizens about safe food preparation, and how to use the different information in recipes, on food labels and on restaurant menus.

Cynwyd Trail: Montgomery County has selected the Cynwyd Trail project to receive a 2008 Green Futures Achievement Award. The planned two-mile trail will run from the Cynwyd Station to the Manayunk Viaduct along the unused portion of SEPTA’s R6 tracks. Chris Leswing praised the public’s involvement in the planning and also in the clean up. Two more workdays have been scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 19th and Sunday, Nov. 1st. Lunch will be provided following the November 1st workday at the West Laurel Hill Cemetery. The event is sponsered with the Lower Merion Historical Society, and will include a presentation on the trail’s history. Those interested should contact Chris Leswing at 610-645-6116 or cleswing@lowermerion.org.

Capital Improvements: LM’s Board of Commissioners will provide information about the 2009-2014 Capital Improvement Program at a workshop on Thursday, Oct. 16th, at 5:30 pm at the Township Building. The staff will have an opportunity to review projects and answer questions from the Board. The public is invited to attend but this forum will not include public comment. The workshop can be seen on LMTV; Comcast channel 7 and Verizon channel 37. The proposed 2009-2014 Capital Improvement Program will be released on Oct. 31st. Two public hearings on this program as well as on the 2009 Proposed Budget have been scheduled for Nov. 19th and Dec. 3rd.

Suburban Square: Kimco Realty, the owner’s of Suburban Square, are seeking to have the center’s west parking lot (sometimes called Ruby’s lot) re-zoned. The two-acre parcel is currently split-zoned and Kimco would like to have it made completely commercial. If the zoning is changed, the parcel can be used for mixed-use development under Ardmore’s MUST (Mixed-Use Special Transit) district zoning. That zoning provides incentives for certain kinds of development within rings, radiating from the train station. Suburban Square is in the innermost ring, which allows the densest development and the tallest building heights. In June, Kimco presented a plan for a building fronting on Anderson and Montgomery Avenues, with street-level retail and about 250 luxury apartments above. The building would wrap a parking garage, with one level of parking underground for building residents and five levels above grade for public parking. Some Commissioners were concerned about this project competing with revitalization efforts at the train station and the Lancaster Avenue business district. The Township is currently in negotiations to sign a master development agreement with developer Carl Dranoff. Other questions raised had to do with the impact of increased traffic and parking adequacy. Kimco has provided a 200-page traffic study that the township engineer is still reviewing.

At the Building and Planning committee meeting on October 7th, the question of whether there would be a one-step process, whereby the merits of the petition would be decided and the committee would potentially act to adopt a rezoning ordinance on the same night, in which case they would have had to vote to authorize advertisement of the ordinance that same week (of Oct. 7th). The other option would be to have a two-step process, with separate hearings on those actions. Liz Rogan, the head of the Building and Planning Committee, preferred the two-step process, saying “it’s a big deal” and deserves careful deliberation. Commissioners Lewis Gould and Jenny Brown wanted the one-step approach. Gould suggested the motive behind the two-step approach is to put Kimco at a disadvantage with regard to Dranoff Properties, a developer requesting a public investment. He, Brown and others welcomed Kimco’s proposal as a positive example of a private developer interested in investing its own money in Ardmore. Cheryl Gelber, whose ward includes Suburban Square, wanted to know why Kimco couldn’t develop multifamily residential units under the lot’s current zoning, which would provide a transition to nearby residential neighborhoods.
Rogan’s motion for a two-step procedure did pass, with Gould, Brown and Scott Zelov opposed. Board President Bruce Reed was absent and Phil Rosenzweig and Lance Rogers recused themselves because of conflicts.
The first public hearing, which will not include the option to vote on a rezoning ordinance, will take place November 19th.

LWV Observer Corps – May 2008

Lower Merion School District:
Redistricting: The LMSD has hired Harris Sokoloff and Ellen Petersen to help facilitate the redistricting of hundreds of high school and elementary school students next year. Sokoloff, a professor at Penn, teaches classes on negotiation and conflict resolution and specializes in building relationships between school and community. He and Peterson will hold a series of four public meetings throughout the district; the meetings will be held between mid-May and the end of the school session in June. Currently, Lower Merion H.S. has about 1600 students and Harriton has fewer than 900 students. Each of the two new high schools is projected to have about 1250 students. Beginning in the fall of 2009, the plan is to move about 350 students who would have attended L.M. to Harriton. Where those students will come from and whether any Harriton students will move to L.M. will have to be decided by next fall. The board will “grandfather” students who will be seniors in the fall of 2009, allowing them to remain at their current schools. In addition, school officials plan on moving some elementary students from Penn Wynne and Gladwyne schools because both are overcrowded. One non-negotiable issue is that no matter how the boundaries are re-drawn, the district should not have to purchase more school buses.
New superintendent: The School Board, in a unanimous vote, approved the hiring of Chris McGinley as a replacement for retiring superintendent Jamie Savedoff. For the last two years McGinley has been executive director of the Delaware County Intermediate Unit in Morton. The unit provides educational services to 100,000 students in 15 school districts in Delaware County. Prior to his time at the Del. County Intermediate Unit, McGinley served for several years in the Cheltenham School District as assistant superintendent and superintendent. McGinley finishes his current position at the end of June and will start in Lower Merion on July 1st.

Bryn Mawr Village District: The hearing to vote on adoption of the Bryn Mawr Village Zoning ordinance, with related zoning map amendments, will take place Wednesday, May 14 at 6:30 pm at the Township Building. According to Building and Planning Director Bob Duncan, if it passes, it will arguably be the largest rezoning in township history. Although rezoning in areas of Merion in the 1980s may have covered a larger area, the Village Zoning concept will affect more than 200 business and residential properties in a roughly one mile long area along Lancaster Avenue, from Lee Avenue in Bryn Mawr to the township line in Rosemont. This rezoning was a major component of the Bryn Mawr Master Plan that was completed more than a year ago. Among the Plan’s goals are creating a new town center, with a hotel and new retail and residential development on the open municipal parking lot between Lancaster Avenue and the train station. Other goals will encourage new retail and mixed-use development on Bryn Mawr Avenue, south of Lancaster, while preserving and enhancing B.M.’s character as a walkable village. In addition to four new zoning districts, commercial properties on some streets would be rezoned residential to reflect their historic use and to preserve affordable housing.

Dotty-Sue Lotke

LWV – April 2008 – Observer Corps

Ardmore Revitalization: L.M. Township is involved in contract negotiations with Dranoff Properties, the group recently chosen by the board of commissioners to develop the Ardmore Redevelopment/Transit Center project. The contract negotiation phase is very important as it sets the terms of the township’s relationship with the developer, as well as the parameters for the development project, and results in a binding legal document.
One of Carl Dranoff’s team is Larry Segal, who was Executive Director of Governor Rendell’s office of Housing and community Revitalization. Among several developments in the area (a fuller listing can be found on the Township’s website) are Symphony House, Venice Lofts, Locust on the Park (near Drexel and Penn).
One feature in Dranoff’s proposal is a glass enclosed walkway over the railroad tracks. A pedestrian friendly Main Street would link Suburban Square with Lancaster Avenue and Schauffele Park would be kept as public space.
The Save Ardmore Coalition has asked why the township doesn’t have a master plan that has objectively assessed things like how many residences the infrastructure can support; how many surface parking spaces must be maintained, etc. The SAC also wonders why more emphasis has not been put on building the Ardmore Train station first, as the $5.8 million federal earmark to cover its cost will be lost if the township and SEPTA do not move forward on this immediately. This federal earmark can only be used for the train station and commuter parking. However, Dranoff is planning to first build a parking garage on the Bernicker lot between the township building and the Honda dealership, in order to replace surface parking and minimize disruption, and then will build the station. The Ardmore Ad Hoc Committee is comprised of representatives from the North Ardmore, Ardwood and Ardmore Progressive civic associations as well as the two business associations. They meet regularly with Lower Merion staff and with the developer and they are comfortable with the fact that Dranoff plans to do the development in logical steps.

Lower Merion’s spring clean-up: the annual spring clean-up weekends will be April 19-20 and May 3-4. Residents can bring refuse, recyclables, household appliances, etc., to the township transfer station, 1300 Woodbine Avenue in Penn Valley. Township crews will be available to assist residents from 9 am to 3 pm. For more information, call 610-667-1952.
No household hazardous waste is accepted on clean-up weekends. Those materials can be brought to the transfer station on October 25th. For other household hazardous waste disposal there is a regional hotline; call 215-238-9991.

All-digital TV converters: the transition from analog to an all digital TV format will take place on February 17, 2009. People who have analog televisions that are not connected to cable, satellite or other pay services will require a converter box to receive programs. State Senator Connie Williams will offer applications at both of her district offices that entitle recipients to a discount on digital converter boxes for televisions. For more information on the TV Converter Box Coupon program or to pick up an application, contact one of Sen. Williams’ offices; the phone number for her office in King of Prussia is 610-992-9790; the phone number of her Havertown office is 610-853-5433). Information and online applications are available at the National Telecommunications Information Administration website: www.dtv2009.gov.

Narberth: a few business owners in the borough wanted to promote healthy eating habits in children and to that end, the owner of the All Natural Café on Haverford Avenue is setting up a display of a city made of fruit and vegetables. Humpty Dumpty, the lead character, is a 9-year old boy struggling with decisions about eating the right food. He will undergo visible changes and become obviously healthier as he makes changes in his eating habits and does more physical activity. The “city” will stay in place for several weeks and will be continuously updated.

LWV – March 2008 – Observer Corps

(Dotty-Sue Lotke)

Local PEG Access Channels: Verizon FiOS customers have not been receiving local programming from Public, Educational and Government (PEG) channels even though the Township’s franchise agreement with Verizon requires these access channels. On the Comcast system, these channels are found on numbers 99, 6 and 7. Verizon has promised that these PEG access channels will be available to FiOS subscribers by May 2008; they will however, have different channel numbers on the Verizon system.

Recycling: New street recycling containers will be placed in about 25 locations throughout L.M. commercial districts. The lids are marked Aluminum, Glass and Plastic and it is hoped having them available on the street will encourage more recycling by passers-by.

“Information”: Everyone should have received the newsletter put out by the township. There is a large blue brochure included that has all the information necessary to take advantage of township summer activities for citizens of all ages, from the Bala Cynwyd Tot Lot, to a recreation day camp for children with special needs, to a multi-sports camp with age appropriate programs to serve children from 3 years old to 14. There are also adult programs for tennis, golf, softball and general fitness.

Ardmore Transit Center: The information in the township’s “Information” newsletter is already outdated. EBL&S, the development team whose plan had been chosen to design and build the Ardmore Transit Center and Business District Revitalization Project, had to pull out. Gladwyne resident Ed Lipkin, head of EBL&S, said he had to regretfully withdraw because of the recent downturn in the credit markets. According to Alison Graham, my go-to, in-house expert on the Ardmore project, credit has to be given to Lipkin for pulling out now rather than letting the planning go forward and then saying he couldn’t get financing. His plan had been the largest and most extensive and he was not willing to scale it back.
The Economic Revitalization Committee (ERC) invited BET Investments, Dranoff Properties and Strategic Realty Investments, all of whom had previously submitted comprehensive plans to the township’s request for proposals, to attend a special March 19th ERC meeting. They will be asked to re-state their interest in the project and to update their initial proposals. Goals and conditions for the Ardmore project can be found by going to the township’s home page, www.lowermerion.org and following the Ardmore link.

Bridges: The Merion Avenue Bridge in Bryn Mawr reopened on February 22nd, with a ribbon cutting celebration. The project was completed within 15 months instead of the projected 18 to 24 months. For the past 20 years, because of weight restrictions, the Bryn Mawr Fire Company had not been able to use the bridge, which is less than 40 yards from the doors of the fire company. The Merion Avenue Bridge is one of four orphaned bridges in the township that have been or will be reconstructed over the next few years. As noted before in the O.C. report, orphaned bridges are those that had been owned by companies such as the Pennsylvania Railroad. As other companies, such as Amtrak, took control of the rail lines, management did not admit ownership of many of the bridges and since no one was responsible for them, they fell into disrepair. A government program was developed whereby the federal government pays 80% and state governments pay 15% of the repair work; the municipalities in which these orphan bridges are located agree to pay the remaining 5% of the costs and to take responsibility and ownership of the bridges. In December, the Church Road Bridge in Ardmore was reconstructed under the same program. The Pennswood Bridge in Haverford and the Union Avenue Bridge in Bala Cynwyd are the next bridges scheduled to be reconstructed using funds from this orphan bridge program. The Narberth Avenue Bridge in Narberth is another orphaned bridge; its reconstruction is expected within the next few years.
The next bridge scheduled for demolition and reconstruction is the River Road Bridge in Gladwyne. The project is expected to begin this summer, with completion expected in early 2009. When a construction schedule is finalized, detour routes will be publicized.

Student Housing: The Board of Commissioners, in a unanimous vote on February 20th, amended the township’s Student Housing Ordinance to permit a college or university to house a limited number of students in an off-campus apartment building. A number of provisions to restrict its applicability means that in reality, only one institution, Bryn Mawr College, will be able to take advantage of this amendment at this time. Bowing to community concerns, the commissioners restricted the number of students permitted to occupy an apartment to two, rather than the three originally proposed. In addition, there has to be a separation of 3500 feet between apartment buildings housing students, instead of the 1500 feet initially suggested. According to Building and Planning
Director Bob Duncan, with the requirement of 3500 feet, not even Harcum College, the only other institution that might have been able to take advantage of the amendment, will be eligible if Bryn Mawr College uses it as expected. Township officials have frankly admitted that the change was a result of discussions with Bryn Mawr College, which will lose some student residences because of the sale of its Glenmede Estate. Commissioners wanted to use the Student Housing Ordinance to find a way to accommodate to the college’s growth without Bryn Mawr having to build on the campus’s open space and to avoid a potentially more significant impact by building a new dormitory near a residential neighborhood.
The ordinance applies only to R7 zoning districts, which permit multifamily housing. A college or university has to lease or buy the units for student housing and a maximum of 40% of the apartments, but no more than 20 units, may be used. In addition, the building must be within 700 feet of a campus property that houses the college’s primary administration building; this will eliminate the possibility of “satellite” campuses. Students in off-campus housing will be held to the same rules and regulations, including penalties for infractions, as campus residents, and colleges will be held accountable for their students’ behavior.
Several L.M. residents voiced their concerns about the changes; one felt that having up to 40% of the apartments for students could result in some buildings becoming student buildings and another saying that it seems that the township is putting the needs of institutions first and those of citizens last.

LWV – Observer Corps: Feb. 2008
Dotty-Sue Lotke

School Taxes: L.M. and Narberth residents will see their school taxes rise by 6.36% when next year’s budget is passed in June. School officials said the increase is necessary to close an expected $9 million budget deficit. Among other reasons for the deficit is the predicted $1 million reduction in the real estate transfer tax expected in the upcoming year, due to the slowdown in the national housing market. The school board approved next year’s preliminary budget in a unanimous voice vote. The L.M. School district’s budget runs from July 1 to June 30 each year. Under the proposed budget, the millage rate for taxpayers will rise from 18.878 in 2007-08 to 20.078 mills in the 2008-09 school year. In real terms, that means a property in L.M. or Narberth that has an assessed value of $255,000 would see its tax burden go from $4814 to $5120, an increase of $306.
The budget would see a spending increase of 5.57%, from $172.2 million to $185 million. District officials anticipate spending about $32 million for salaries and benefits; money for those two items are among the biggest expenditures in the budget.

Lower Merion Conservancy: Dove Lake in Gladwyne was the subject of Thomas Eakins’ painting “Swimming.” An open space easement placed on the site by the owners guarantees that about 20 acres of lakefront and the forest and wildlife habitats that surround the lake will be preserved. The lake was formed when Mill Creek was dammed in the era of Lower Merion’s mills. The project is one of five completed by the Conservancy in 2007. The easements cover 50 acres of land and represent a record for a single year, according to Executive Director Mike Weilbacher. Another big win against development involved Glenmede, in Bryn Mawr, the former home of Sun Oil Co. founder Joseph Pew. Up to 13 homes could have been built on the 16 acre site. The owner, Bryn Mawr College, was persuaded to try to find a conservation buyer for the land and the Victorian Gothic main house. Happily, such a buyer was found and a next door neighbor was so pleased with the outcome that he placed an easement on his nine wooded acres as well.

Cynwyd Train Station and Trail: In December 2007 the final papers were signed by representatives of L.M. Township and the L.M. Historical Society which sub-lease the Cynwyd Train Station to the Historical Society. This means the Historical Society can begin the first phase of renovation to the 1886 building. The Township Board of Commissioners had approved a matching grant for $225,000 and in October 2007 the Montgomery County Commissioners authorized $225,000 for improvements to the station. Township Manager Doug Cleland signed the final lease agreement between the Township and SEPTA for the Cynwyd Station, which gives lessee responsibilities to the Township. In partnership with the Township, the Historical Society will stabilize and renovate the station, perhaps for a tenant. With parking and the little-used park next door, the station could serve as a trailhead since it is adjacent to the Township’s proposed two-mile recreational, multi-use, paved trail, which will run from Cynwyd Station to the Manayunk viaduct, along the unused portion of SEPTA’s R-6 tracks. According to Assistant Director of Building and Planning, Christopher Leswing, construction of the trail will be partially funded through the use of County Open Space Funds. He indicated that a series of community workshops will be held to get input from residents about the trail. At such a meeting on January 30, a crowd of about 150 enthusiastic backers of the proposed trail nearly filled the board room of the Township Building. Many encouraged township officials to take the trail across the Schuylkill River on the old Manayunk Viaduct to downtown Manayunk and beyond, to connect with regional trails and recreation. A study for a trail running the full length of the township is only in its early stages, but creating a trail on the abandoned rail line, with links to older Bala Cynwyd neighborhoods and new development sites, is a project that could be completed in basic form as early as the end of this year, according to Chris Leswing. About 250 people, with Board President Bruce Reed and Chris Leswing, walked the trail and crossed the viaduct.
There will be more informal Cynwyd Trail walks in the near future. If you would like to be notified about upcoming dates, email Bruce Reed at breed@berwind.com. I will write more about additional possibilities for the “Emerald Necklace” in the future.

Firefighters, Parking, and Grants: On January 1, 2008, a free parking program for volunteer firefighters went into effect. Only those active fire volunteers who answer 25% of their station’s calls in a given year are eligible and will be given stickers to display on their vehicles. About 150 of the total 320 active volunteers in Lower Merion and Narberth are eligible. Especially for fire companies in a downtown or business district, having the volunteers able to park free during the work day means they can get to the fire station and to the fire more quickly. In addition, as Tom Hadyn, chief of the Merion Fire Company and a volunteer of more than 30 years, noted, it’s “disheartening” to come back from a call and find a parking ticket on your car. Lower Merion Chief Fire Officer Chas McGarvey said the idea for the program came from the fire service’s Recruitment and Retention Committee, which includes representatives from all seven companies in L.M. and Narberth. The committee is trying to fight the recent trend in declining volunteer service.
Volunteer fire and EMS companies save Pennsylvania taxpayers $6 billion each year, according to State Rep. Bryan Lentz. He is a Democrat whose 161st District includes Radnor Township, and he was the prime sponser of legislation that creates a $25 million annual fund to provide grants to eligible fire and ambulance companies. The fund will provide annual grants of up to $15,000 for every eligible fire company and $10,000 to every eligible ambulance company that applies. The grants can be used for construction or renovation of a company’s facility; for purchase or repair of equipment; for debt reduction; and for training and certification of members. The grant program will benefit many Main Line fire companies, including those in Paoli, Berwyn, Radnor, Bryn Mawr, Belmont Hills, Narberth, Penn Wynne/Overbrook, and Union in Bala Cynwyd.

LWV LMN– Observer Corps –January 2008

Dotty-Sue Lotke

Ardmore Revitalization: The Board of Commissioners has named EBL&S Development, a team led by Gladwyne resident Edward B. Lipkin, to lead revitalization of downtown Ardmore. There were five teams that gave the township proposals for a new transit center and new mixed-use residential and commercial development and several were deemed of high quality. The key element in EBL&S’s plan is a new train station which would be topped by a hotel spanning the railroad tracks. Several commissioners said it was that “substantial connection” between the business district along Lancaster Avenue and Suburban Square that gave that EBL&S the edge over its competitors. Another important factor was that plan’s inclusion of a broad range of new housing options, which would help maintain Ardmore’s historic social and economic diversity. Other points in that team’s favor were the expertise of their architectural, engineering and other consultants and their strong financial backing. Also noted were Lipkin’s early efforts to reach out to the Ardmore community.
There were two hours of public comment with a new cooperative spirit among civic and business groups that were once at odds over a township redevelopment plan that raised the specter of eminent domain. Representatives of the Save Ardmore Coalition, the Ardmore initiative business authority, the Ardmore Business Association and First Friday Main Line, stood together to read a joint statement of a vision for Ardmore’s future. Included in their statement, however, and in the comments of some others, was a concern that the plan was too urban, too dense and too likely to get bogged down in constructing something spanning the rails. In response, Board Vice President Maryam Walker Phillips said “It’s easier to make a larger project smaller than it is to do the reverse” and that “if we start the bar too low, we won’t have done enough.”
The board’s decision authorizes the start of negotiations with the builder that will lead to a written agreement with the township. Board President Bruce Reed said he would appoint a negotiating team and the Board set a target date of March 19th for the agreement.

Local Politics: Democrat Connie Williams announced that she will not run for re-election to a third term in the PA Senate, where she represents the 17th district. Republican Lance Rogers, a Lower Merion Commissioner, announced that he has formed an exploratory committee and is considering running to replace Williams. Rogers said that the fact that Williams decided not to run was not a factor in his decision. The 17th district includes parts of Delaware and Montgomery Counties and includes Lower Merion, Haverford and Radnor Townships and Narberth Borough. Just as an interesting aside, the firm Rogers has hired to advise his campaign ran Rep. Jim Gerlach’s successful campaign and is currently advising presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani.
State Representative Daylin Leach, a Democrat who represents the 149th district, had announced that he will seek the Democratic nomination for Williams’ seat. Former PA State Senator Robert Rovner, an attorney from Bryn Mawr, is reportedly interested in the Democratic nomination as well.

L. M. Township Board of Commissioners: The Board held its 55th biennial reorganization meeting on Jan. 7th. Paul McElhaney of Belmont Hills, whose great-great-grandfather was an early resident and served as a commissioner, was sworn in as the new Ward 3 commissioner, taking Rocco Burdo’s place. McElhaney was a life-long Republican who changed parties and ran as a Democrat. The Democrats hold a majority on the Board, having 9 of 14 seats.
The Board re-elected Bruce Reed (Ward 13) as president and Maryam Walker Phillips (Ward 4) as vice president. Six Board members elected in November were sworn in, including two who won their first full terms after being appointed to seats in 2006. Mark Taylor (Ward 1) who won by only 6 votes and was not certified until December, and George Manos (Ward 9) will each serve four more years. Reed, Cheryl Gelber (Ward 5) and Liz Rogan (Ward 7) were seated for their second terms and Lewis Gould (Ward 11) for his fourth term.
President Reed announced committee appointments for 2008; most commissioners will continue in their assignments. New Commissioner McElhaney, who has experience in construction management, was appointed chairman of the Township Properties Committee and vice chairman of the Public Works Committee.
The Board re-appointed Gilbert P. High Jr. as township solicitor and Edward P. Puciennick as township engineer. The election of Samuel T. Adenbaum as township treasurer was confirmed.
President Reed spoke of some of the township’s recent accomplishments, such as increasing protected open space; adding the Linwood Avenue park, completing a master plan study for Ashbridge Memorial Park and laying the groundwork for the new Cynwyd Trail. The board is working on reviving Ardmore, is moving ahead on a new Bryn Mawr Master Plan, and is working on new projects on Rock Hill Road.
Reed also announced leadership of 10 ad hoc committees, including groups to work on affordable housing, Ardmore and Bryn Mawr revitalization, the budget and Capital Improvement Program and wireless communication issues.

Lower Merion Library System (LSLS): All six libraries now offer free wireless access to internet through the LMLS Wireless “Stop and Go” network. Service is offered to cardholders anytime the libraries are open. Visitors with wireless devices who do not have LMLS library cards can use the access but have to be logged in by LMLS library staff. There is a wireless “Stop and Go” tip sheet available at www.lmls.org. Director of Libraries Christine Stechel said the program received support from federal and state grants, which covered about 50% of the project’s costs, over three years time. It is expected that sometime in 2008 wireless users will also have the ability to print through this network.

PennDot: Strictly speaking, this is not a township government activity, but since PennDot’s actions will affect many of our members, I thought I would include this information about lane closures on the Schuylkill Expressway, which started last night (Jan. 13th). The project is expected to take nine months and cost $3.5 million and will rehabilitate and re-anchor protective barriers on eight bridges along I-76 in Lower Merion and Upper Merion Townships. Existing bridge walls will be reinforced; the height of the walls will be raised 18 inches to meet current design standards, and the median barriers will be reinforced. The bridges to be worked on include Righters Ferry Road; Norfolk South railroad tracks; Mill Creek; Waverly Road; a ramp at the I-476 Interchange; Matsonford Road; south Gulph Road and Croton Road.
Last night, crews set up barriers that close the right shoulder of the expressway; near the I-476 Interchange and in the area where the expressway crosses over Waverly Road, which is about two miles east of the Conshohocken exit. Two travel lanes will be maintained in each direction of I-76 during the majority of the project as the crews will work behind protective barriers. There will, however, be intermittent lane closures from 10 pm to 5 am for certain operations, such as median barrier repair on the eight bridges.
Loftus Construction, Inc. of Cinnaminson, NJ is the general contractor. The $3,513,500 contract is financed with 100% federal funds.

Comprehensive Plan Update Process: Every township resident will be mailed a Township map in January. Hopefully, this will lead to more community involvement in the Comprehensive plan process as well as being useful as a street map and to identify parks and libraries, etc. The map is being provided at no cost to the Township thanks to the support of local businesses.

Proposal to revise LM lot sizes: Lower Merion commissioners have discovered that some changes they have made to a zoning code in the past year or two do not always mesh with their land planning goals. These revisions have usually affected only a small group, mainly condominium builders. However, a proposed new code amendment could have broader impact on property owners throughout the township, that would limit the ability of owners of larger lots to subdivide their land. The draft ordinance would increase the minimum lot width requirement for parcels in almost every zoning district, in order to prevent very long, narrow lots. The legislation is intended to protect neighborhood character. Several commissioners voted against authorizing advertisement of the public hearing to be held on January 16th, because they have concerns about interference with current owners’ property rights. However, the meeting will take place at the Board’s next meeting on Jan. 16th at 8 pm at the Township Building.
The draft ordinance, including specific amendments for each residential zoning district, may be viewed on the township’s web site at www.lowermerion.org. Then go to “What’s New” and click on “Proposed Ordinances.”

Dotty-Sue Lotke

LWV LMN– Observer Corps –December 2007

Church Street Bridge: The 100 year old bridge is now expected to open on Thursday, Dec. 20th. Although the bridge has been closed for almost 15 months, the Director of Public Works, Don Cannon, said it had been expected that the bridge would be closed for 18-24 months. There will be a brief ceremony on Dec. 20th at 8:30 am, on the north, Sibley Avenue side. The old weight restrictions have been eliminated thanks to the reconstruction. The township will also assume ownership and responsibility for the bridge. When Amtrak took over the railroad it did not take ownership of the bridge and it became an “orphan”, with no assigned responsibility for care or maintenance. However, the Township was able to re-construct the bridge with 80% federal funds, 15% state funds, and only 5% local funds, thanks to the “Orphan Bridge Act.”

New L.M. Township website: The old but current township website contains a link to preview the new site, which is attractive and has a lot of up-to-date information. For example, a site called the “Local Services Tax FAQ and tax forms” had been up-dated on Dec. 7th at 1:30 pm. The site details the major changes of the Emergency and Municipal Services Tax (EMST) which will be effective as of Jan. 1, 2008. These changes will affect all businesses and payroll companies that are subject to this tax. For starters, the EMST will be re-named the “Local Services Tax” (LST). If you are interested, go to the old website and click on preview of new website and follow the links. The new site also has click-on access for information on the Ardmore Transit Center and Business District Re-vitalization Project as well as the 2008 Proposed Budget.

Proposed 2008 Budget: Here is a quick summary of the General Fund. The anticipated revenue for 2008 is $50.9 million; about $1.6 million, or 3.2% higher than the 2007 Budget. The 2008 expenditures are budgeted at $53.0 million; about $1.9 million or 3.7% higher than the 2007 Budget. Therefore, the 2008 Proposed Budget expects expenditures to exceed revenue by about $2.1 million, requiring a budgeted drawdown of the fund balance. It is hoped that about $0.9 million of the 2008 budget gap can be eliminated through ongoing cost containment and budgetary savings practices in 2008. As for personnel, there will be 439 full-time positions, which is the same as in the 2007 Budget. There will be an increase of 1.2 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) part-time positions for additional lifeguards at the Belmont Hills Pool Complex. With regard to taxes and fees, the real estate tax will increase from its 2007 level of 3.54 mills to 3.61 mills, which represents an increase of 2%. At the first, of two, public meetings about the proposed budget, Dave O’Connell of “Citizens for Responsible Budgeting”, suggested there was “padding” in the proposed budget, which prompted Board President Bruce Reed to challenge O’Connell as to how he would reduce expenses and to give specifics. Before the state legislature created the above mentioned Emergency and Municipal Services Tax, three years ago, a previous board had considered increasing solid waste fees or instituting a rear yard collection fee. Solid waste costs have been subsidized by the general fund and the township has not raised its solid waste fees in nine years. Consequently, some of the commissioners said they would look at increasing the fee schedule for trash collections. All budget proposals will be revisited by the commissioners at the Dec. 19th meeting.

Every vote counts!: It had been reported, on Election Day, Nov. 6th, that Democratic incumbent Mark Taylor, of Ward 1 (Penn Valley) had won his election by 11 votes. After an automatic recount by Montgomery on Nov. 9th, the certified results had Taylor’s lead down to a single vote. And then, after a hearing and a recount on Nov. 21st, it was learned that the election came down to an official six-vote margin. It had been Taylor’s first election; he had been appointed in September 2006 to fill the unfinished term of former President Matt Comisky, who resigned after seven years on the board.

Restaurants and Smoking: Lower Merion Township, unlike Philadelphia, cannot order restaurants to ban smoking. However, the commissioners voted to create a program that will recognize township restaurants that voluntarily ban smoking. Beginning Jan. 1st, restaurants that are entirely smoke-free would be given certificates from the township that they could place in their front windows. A list will also be posted on the township’s website. In addition, smoke-free restaurants would be noted in public service announcements on the township’s cable channel 7 and also in its newsletters sent to all residents. About a year ago, the board adopted an ordinance prohibiting smoking at township parks, playgrounds, playing fields and other outdoor areas.

L.M. Township TV: The township administration is very aware that Verizon does not currently air the township’s Channel 7. It is hoped that Verizon will begin to carry Channel 7 in May.

Parking: There will be free parking on Sat., Dec. 15th and Sat., Dec. 22nd in all the commercial areas in the township.

–Dotty Sue Lotke, Observer Corps December 10, 2007

LWV LMN– Observer Corps –November 2007

School Board Candidates’ meeting: Kudos to us our co-sponsers. Well done! I could only attend the debate at Welsh Valley on Oct. 24th and although we never get the audience we deserve, I was impressed that, given the awful rainy night, there were almost 100 people in attendance, based on my very rough count.

Local elections: Here is a brief summary of last week’s elections. Democrat Mark Taylor, the incumbent in Penn Valley’s Ward 1, who was appointed to the seat in October 2006, beat his Republican opponent, Gregory Cirillo, in a squeaker; he won by 11 votes. Don’t let anyone tell you that their one vote doesn’t count! In Ward 3, where retiring Rocco Burdo held a seat for three terms, Belmont Hills elected the first Democratic commissioner in more than 100 years. The family of the new commissioner, Paul McElhaney, has roots that go back six generations in the community. Interestingly, that unbroken string of Republican commissioners includes McElhaney’s great-great-grandfather, who was elected in 1918. In January 2008, when McElhaney is sworn in, the board will be composed of nine Democrats, four Republicans and one Independent.
In the two other contested races, Democratic incumbents bested their Republican challengers; Liz Rogan won in Wynnewood’s Ward 7 and George Manos in Bala Cynwyd’s Ward 9.
Three board seats were uncontested. Current board President Bruce Reed (Ward 13) and Cheryl Gelber (Ward 5) each won second terms. Lewis Gould (Ward 11) will be back for his fourth term and is currently the board’s longest serving commissioner.
All five candidates on the Democratic slate for the School Board won. Township Treasurer Samuel T. Adenbaum won a special election against Republican candidate Stanley Merves and will serve two more years in office; Adenbaum had been appointed to the position in January 2007.

2008 Budget: A public meeting about Lower Merion Township’s proposed 2008 Budget will be held on Wednesday, November 21st at 8 pm at the Township Building. A program featuring highlights of the proposed budget will be aired on cable Channel 7 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7:30 am and 7:30 pm and Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 am and 2:30 pm.
Copies of the TV program will be available at the Bala Cynwyd and Ludington libraries and may also be downloaded from MyLibraryDV. For more information, call 610-645-6199.

Ardmore Transit Center: The Township will hold interviews on November 28th and possibly the 29th for developers of the Ardmore Transit Center and the re-development of the Ardmore Business District. Check with the Township for firm dates.

Rock Hill Road: Public hearings will be held concerning the Rock Hill Road ordinance, probably some time in November. Hearings have been delayed because the Township is trying to address neighbors’ concerns.

Pocket Park: The Township has bought the parking lot across from the church on Linwood and Athens Avenues in Ardmore, and plans to make it into a pocket park.

Church Street bridge: It had been hoped that the bridge would re-open in October but the new anticipated date of opening is the end of November.

Ardmore Library: The Township bought the building in back of the library and will be making lots of improvements. The newly purchased building will be used as a distribution center by the Township’s libraries.

Fire Study: The Township has just received a 400 page Fire Study it had commissioned from an outside consultant. The study gives specific steps needed for fire companies in the future. The study is available on line.

Township website: The L.M. Township Information Services Department is expecting completion of a long-term project. A new township website should be available by the end of December. Mary Graham-Zak, Chief Technology Officer, said “Though the look will be more sophisticated, the improvements are far more than cosmetic.” She said the site will be easier to use, with high interest topics on the home page.

Dotty-Sue Lotke, Observer Corps LWV of Lower Merion and Narberth, November 2007

LWV of LMN, Observer Corps, May 2007

One of the biggest and probably most controversial ongoing discussions in the township is the construction of the new high schools. Last year, the school board restricted the construction budget of the Harriton High School project to $98.2 million. In March, the school board rejected eight bids (two of them had electrical work and general construction expenses that put them over budget). Dozens of bids were unsealed last Thursday, May 10th, in the boardroom of the LMSC Administration building. Some bids were over the do-not-exceed budget of $98.2 million but included alternatives that would lower the costs. Some bids contained unit pricing, but these can be in feet or yards, so the school district and their consultants have to crunch the numbers to see who is giving the best price.
The rejection of the earlier bids means the project has already been delayed about three months; however, officials still expect the new Harriton High project to be complete by the fall of 2008.

The Lower Merion Planning Commission met on Monday, May 14th at which they discussed the Preliminary Land Development Plan for Lower Merion High School. On Wednesday, May 16th, the Building and Planning Committee was supposed to review the recommendations of the Planning Commission and immediately following, at the Board of Commissioners meeting, it was expected that the Commissioners would determine approval for this Preliminary Land Development Plan. However, Chris Leswing of the Planning Department said that the Planning Commission had recommended moving forward but advised waiting until the June meetings of the Building and Planning Committee and the Commissioners meeting to vote.
The reasons for waiting are three important issues that need further resolution. These are: storm water management; pedestrian crossing of Montgomery Avenue; re-alignment of School House Lane.
As to storm water management, there will be a significant increase in the necessity for storm water management and the township engineer needs to ascertain that what is done will meet current codes or see if waivers will be needed.
In terms of crossing Montgomery Avenue, they are looking into a few different proposals.
As for School House Lane, neighbors have a lot of concerns about traffic and the Planning Commission is looking into separating the traffic for the Lane and that for the school. Further meetings with the neighbors are planned to address this.
Mr. Leswing told me the Planning Commission meeting started at 7:00 and lasted until midnight. About 30 members of the public were there as well as a couple of commissioners.
The estimated construction dates for the high schools are, for Harriton, 2007 to 2009, and for Lower Merion, 2008 to 2010.

It’s nice to know when things work well. The LM Board of Commissioners voted to authorize Township Manager Doug Cleland to negotiate and enter into an agreement with Radnor Township to make improvements in the terrible five street intersection near the Bryn Mawr Hospital. Although the expansion of the hospital is what initiated the project, the intersection of Bryn Mawr Avenue, County Line and Haverford Roads, and Glenbrook Avenue, has been a difficult juncture for years, especially during rush hours. LM Public Works Director Don Cannon estimated that by splitting the costs roughly three ways, between the two townships and the hospital, the project could be finished as soon as 2008. Cannon said that if the improvements were put into the state highway pipeline, the finish date could be 20 years or more. The total costs of construction, inspection, engineering and right-of-way acquisition, are estimated to be $1.4 million, about $380,000 less than if done by the PA Transportation Improvement Plan process. The proposed split is $600,000 to be paid by the hospital, and about $670,000 divided evenly by Lower Merion and Radnor townships. According to Don Cannon, if an agreement and commitment to right-of-way acquisition can be reached soon, design for the project could start and construction could begin in the spring of 2008 with completion expected by Fall 2008.

Other land development issues with less general impact are: Wendy’s on Lancaster Avenue is planning to raze its current building and construct a new restaurant. At issue is their proposal to remove the restriction on their drive-through hours. The current closing time is midnight but the owners want all restrictions lifted, which could mean 24/7 operation. Not surprisingly, this is opposed by neighbors, especially those whose properties back up to the restaurant site. Neighbors and township staff said the restaurant chain had been responsive to concerns about building architecture and site improvements.
Another bone of contention is the proposed expansion of the Infiniti dealer on Lancaster Avenue in Ardmore. The owner wants to expand, using the Talone lots. The Talone buildings are believed to house Ardmore’s oldest continuously operating business, dating from 1895, but the buildings are not listed on Lower Merion’s inventory of protected historic sites. As of now, since the commissioners set the case aside and were considering a motion of denial, the owners have tabled the application.

May 2007, Dotty-Sue Lotke, Observer Corps LWV of Lower Merion and Narberth