EXETER TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS SEEM PARALYZED: LEADERSHIP?

The Exeter Township Supervisors appear to be at a standstill, struggling to secure and maintain a competent Township Manager, which has led to significant disruption within the township's government.

This leadership vacuum, coupled with a problematic solicitor situation, has pushed our government to a tipping point. The solicitor's self-drafted resolution, redefining his job responsibilities, highlights the complexity and severity of these issues. We have an agreement with  Schnee Legal Services.

A lack of consistent leadership has been a long-standing problem, but for clarity, let's focus on the timeline from 2020 to the present, March 2024.
Starting in January 2020, following J. Granger's dismissal, we've seen a revolving door of leadership:
    •    January 2020: Michelle Gilbert steps in as Interim Township Manager.
    •    March 2020: Clarence Hamm fills the interim role as Gilbert moves to another position.
    •    June 2020: Jeff Bartlett becomes the Permanent Township Manager.
    •    March 2022: Post-Bartlett's dismissal, Hamm returns as Interim Manager.
    •    May 2022: Betsy McBride from KMS serves as Interim Manager, then becomes Permanent Manager in February 2023.
    •    July 2023: McBride resigns and Larry Piersol takes over as Interim Township Manager, a position he holds to date.

The critical role of Township Manager has seen constant change, with six managers in just four years, leading to supervisor abuses and overall chaos. This period of instability, marked by a mix of interim and permanent management, has hindered meaningful progress, resulting in policy shifts, inefficient spending, and poor asset management. The resultant fiscal mismanagement has led to unnecessary budget deficits and unjustifiable tax increases for 2024, as well as a lack of clear strategy for managing township resources.

The turmoil is exacerbated by an inexperienced solicitor, whose excessive billing and erratic guidance have turned governance into turmoil.
Upon reviewing meeting minutes to track these managerial transitions, the solicitor's disruptive influence becomes evident, affecting management, politics, and policy. Schneelegal.com

Currently, the outlook remains bleak. Despite initially identifying eight candidates for the Township Manager position, delays and withdrawals have forced us to restart the search. With new candidates on the horizon, there's concern they too may move on before we take action.

The absence of leadership at both supervisory and management levels is palpable. I invite feedback on my observations. Have we made any progress over the past three years? It seems not; the same leadership persists, infrastructural neglect continues, and taxpayer funds are squandered.

Claims that I haven't proposed solutions are untrue. My efforts to suggest changes have been met with personal attacks and procedural changes aimed at limiting my input, illustrating a broader reluctance to engage in meaningful debate. 

I am concerned that the management policies followed in the past that led to the need to sell the Sewer Plant (See: Why we had to sell the Sewer Plant) are in play today and the consequences for our community could be devastating.
​