Ward 13 in Abington Township is up for grabs in the general election on November 7, and the incumbent commissioner William Bole, a Democrat, is being challenged by Ellen Thorton Staerk, a Republican.
The candidates have sent press releases to Glenside Local, published below. Read on for more information on both Staerk and commissioner Bole.
From challenger Staerk’s press release:
Making her first bid for public office, local businesswoman and realtor Ellen Thorton Staerk has announced her candidacy for the Glenside ward 13 Abington Township commissioner seat. Unopposed in the Republican primary election of May 16, Mrs. Staerk will be running against first-term commissioner incumbent William Bole (D) in the general election of Nov. 7.
“I believe the Abington Commissioners’ Board needs an experienced business voice that will work to keep township taxes down without hampering community management and services,” said Mrs. Staerk, who lives on Sylvania Ave. in Olde Glenside. “As a long-time resident, I know I can give Glenside the caring, capable and mindful commissioner we deserve. Our community needs to restore the foundations that make Glenside a vibrant and safe area.”
A licensed Pennsylvania realtor for more than 30 years, Mrs. Staerk in 1998 co-founded with her husband, Joseph, an area contracting business, the JDB Service Group, that specializes in accessible renovations and home maintenance and is now run by the Staerk’s sons.
A paralegal in environmental law and a former Abington Township police officer, Mrs. Staerk’s community commitments have included being a local co-founder of a Mother’s Wish Foundation, chairperson of the Glenside Weldon School Spring Fling, a Jefferson Hospital volunteer and past member of the Glenside Chamber of Commerce.
She has attended Montgomery County Community College, and is a graduate of Bishop McDevitt High School (Class of 1977) and St. John of the Cross Parochial School in Roslyn.
Married for more than 40 years to Joe Staerk, she has four adult children and nine grandchildren.
From Commissioner Bole’s press release:
Abington Ward 13 Commissioner Bill Bole runs for re-election on record of accomplishment and service, and preparedness to help lead Abington Township through the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead
Abington finds itself at an inflection point. We must make a number of critical investments in our capital infrastructure and programs–perhaps most visibly parks and recreation spaces; but we also face the not-insignificant headwinds of rising costs, limited tolerance for increasing millage rates, a lingering and long financial tail left by the pandemic, and a swell of cynicism nationally about the ability of government to deliver for the people they serve. But these challenges are not insurmountable. I am honored to run for re-election and proud to stand on a productive first term that demonstrates the value I have brought as an elected official for Glenside and as a leader in Abington.
I built my 2019 campaign on a platform of better communication and robust public engagement, which became markedly more important three months after taking office at the start of the pandemic. In addition to providing as much clarity as possible through substantive newsletters and social media posts, I jumped into discussions early in my term about how the Township could weather the financial storm brought by the uncertainty and new demands from COVID-19.
These once-a-century organizational and financial demands over the past few years caused a ripple effect felt in the Township’s budget. Now, in addition to working to find the new steady state for our finances, we must begin making significant investments in our infrastructure, as well as other programs that residents deserve, some of which may allow us to generate additional revenue. The moment calls for leaders with the capacity for deep intellectual engagement in an array of issues, a willingness to wrestle with complex ideas (often in the vulnerable setting of a public meeting), the confidence to make decisions that on occasion might require short-term sacrifice for the long-term benefit of the municipality…and the fortitude and humility to change course when the data tells us so.
As an executive leader in higher education, I have worked for more than 20 years in some of the region’s most complex, high-pressure, and high-performing institutions, managing large teams, significant operational and personnel budgets, and have been held to the highest standards of excellence. I have a deep–and growing–knowledge about the issues that face us, the relationships within Abington’s many departments and programs to help residents navigate Township services, working relationships with our state and federal legislators, an effective and expanding communication infrastructure, and the valuable lessons I have learned over four years to help guide me toward a successful second term representing Ward 13.
What have I accomplished directly for Ward 13 residents? A sampling includes: Sharing more than 50 information-packed newsletters. Working with Code Enforcement and the Solicitor to take bold steps to move the long-vacant property at Tyson and Edge Hill toward clean up and eventual sale. Empowering residents to make a positive impact through promotion of volunteer opportunities like working in area food banks or going door-to-door for Census 2020. Identifying services for some of our most vulnerable neighbors. Helping residents work with the APD on issues of safety and quality of life. Working with frustrated residents to find creative solutions for challenging and dangerous traffic safety issues. Getting out during storms to let residents know I am willing to roll up my sleeves to help them. Doggedly working to get utility companies in the area to replace aging and often dangerous infrastructure.
Beyond direct service to constituents, I am proud of my participation and leadership among my colleagues on the board. We are at our best when a large number of us grapple with a complex topic and bring our varying skill sets and experience to bear on an issue. I have worked hard to be prepared and not sit on the sidelines during discussions. I was proud to have actively participated in the conversation around the Willow Grove Park Mall proposal, which led to the correct short-term outcome of no action. I look forward to active participation in a renewed conversation around the possible formation of an Economic Development Corporation, which, if structured properly, I would support.
In addition, I will be actively monitoring how our decision to enact a Responsible Contractor Ordinance (RCO) plays out and whether it results in the outcomes it intends. I am proud of my contributions to this discussion, as well as the work I did to prepare for those discussions. Recognizing that this was a deeply divisive issue for some, I prepared accordingly, reading several studies looking at the effectiveness of RCOs, speaking with a former Democratic mayor of a neighboring town that passed an RCO, a Republican commissioner from a Pennsylvania county who is adamantly opposed to RCOs, consulting with professionals familiar with writing RCOs, and talking with several ward residents who are both knowledgeable and differently opinionated on the subject. Some may suggest that this topic is fairly straightforward. It is not.
In 2022, I was asked to chair the newly established Strategic Planning Committee. My role will have a direct impact on several years of Township budgeting, and I do not take my responsibility lightly. My colleagues and I are working to deliver a final plan to the Board and the residents this spring. The plan, informed by robust public engagement sessions, aims to be both aspirational and eminently practical, one that commits the Township to funding specific projects that align with our highest priorities. These are likely to include plans to continue addressing our significant stormwater issues, parks and recreation updates, residential and commercial street paving, sustainability issues, efforts to make sure Abington fully commits to being an inclusive and welcoming community, and much more.
Abington residents deserve representative leaders who are energetic and committed to empowering them with information, encouraging their participation and engagement, and, in the end, turning their broad spectrum of ideas, perspectives, and passions into responsible action that promotes both the short- and long-term health of Abington Township. I understand how to meet the challenges and opportunities of the moment, and I will humbly ask for the support of my neighbors to once again represent them on the Board of Commissioners.