William “Bill” Bole, a Glenside resident and Abington Township’s Ward 13 commissioner, is stepping down from his role at the end of this month.

The township’s 15-commissioner board accepted Mr. Bole’s resignation on Thursday, March 12. He was first elected in 2019.

Glenside Local reached out to Mr. Bole with questions about his service over the years. His unedited responses are below:

What would you say your most notable accomplishments were over the past year?

Looking back over the past few years, I am proud of the Board’s work to move through and out of the challenges of the pandemic—which naturally took a while—and then successfully recruit an excellent new Township Manager in Chris Christman. He and the Township leadership staff have worked closely with the Board of Commissioners to establish an excellent platform over the past year from which I anticipate Abington will benefit for many years to come. Investments are being made in our parks, Township-owned infrastructure, and we now have a solid base from which to conduct some strategic economic redevelopment, both in major corridors and key neighborhood anchors like Keswick Village. 

It was an honor to work with Township staff, other commissioners—most notably Vice President Matt Vahey (Glenside Ward 12)—and the Glenside Civic Association to bring the community together following the SPS fire. Naturally, there were so many questions, and I am proud of the work we did to collect questions and create a forum to begin discussing them. 

What are the reason(s) behind your decision to step down?

I recently accepted a new professional role that will require me to relocate outside of the area. Although my permanent address will remain the same through most of the spring and summer, I felt it best to step down now and allow the incumbent to have maximum time in the role before the next election cycle two years from now. There is a pretty steep learning curve in the role, and incorporating all of the responsibilities into one’s already-full life takes a good amount of time. I was first elected three months before the pandemic, so I am particularly sensitive to how disorienting the first 3-6 months in the role can feel. 

Do you have a message of gratitude for the township after serving the post?

The Township staff is, to a person, incredible. They work so hard for the people of the Township in so many ways. We see the visible ways this happens, with trash and recycling collection, our incredible police department, etc., but in addition to that, there is creativity that takes place behind the scenes to solve problems in cost-effective ways. For many years, the Township departments were significantly underfunded—not enough or the right waste collection technologies, police department communications and staffing levels, physical spaces that were boiling in the summer and freezing in the winter. The list goes on. Township employees have always just kept their heads down and done their jobs, and it has been inspiring to watch them, partner with them, and, when needed, support them through additional tax revenue. Sometimes it seems that people are okay with the price of everything going up, except for what is provided through their local taxes. We have an outstanding Township staff, and they deserve the right physical environment, technology, tools, training, and support to do their work.

Thank you to the Township leadership for the many ways you have worked with me to serve the people of Glenside! You are the best of our democracy—the engine that keeps everything running! Thank you for keeping us safe, creating an environment where we can enjoy a ton of civic pride, and for all of the ways you keep pushing to make things better than they are right now. 

Anything else you want to say?

I think there are a lot of understandable reasons why one might be cynical about politics writ large these days. At the local level, however, for the most part, we are able to avoid partisan rancor. Everyone on the Board is focused on representing their ward in the best way they know how. And it has shown. For example, because of shifting demographics, the leadership of the Abington-Rockledge Democratic Committee, and the local Republican party’s inability to mobilize around modern issues that are resonant with a large number of Township residents, there is just one Republican on the Board right now, Commissioner Dennis Zappone (Ward 9). But, for board purposes, I have grown to not even think of him as “the lone Republican.” I give him a lot of credit for how he has handled himself over the past few years, in particular how he has supported the board leadership. He calls balls and strikes and has always been laser-focused on sticking up for what he affectionately always calls “his residents.” When he sees others do the same, he is among the first to give them props. I try to learn something from everyone I meet, and from Dennis I learned how important it is to see through the nonsense and just focus on the people you’re elected to serve. 

That said, political affiliation does come into play in some ways, one of which is the rights and privileges the majority enjoys in appointing commissioners when there is a vacancy. Yes, I certainly would like them to appointment someone who is committed to serving the amazing people of Glenside first and foremost, but I worked hard, with a lot of help, to flip the seat after almost 30 years in Republican control and believe that it is wholly appropriate for the Board to identify a smart, committed, hard-working Democrat who can step in and lead with a similar orientation and set of values. I would expect the same if the proverbial shoe were on the other foot.

As I step away, I am left with so much gratitude for our system of government and the amazing people who make it work on a daily basis. If folks out there are cynical about politics or government, I encourage them to volunteer, run for office, or join a committee. The “We the People” thing only works if we the people jump in and do our own small part where live, however we can. 

Ward 13 Commissioner Vacancy

The Ward 13 commissioner position is currently vacant and accepting applications until March 27. More details below:

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Photos: Bill Bole