Upper Providence, say hello to your new Planning Commission member, and while you’re at it, welcome her to the neighborhood!

Meet Sarah Glenn.  Or, if you are from Skippack, merely re-acquaint yourself.  You may remember Sarah Glenn as a candidate for Skippack Township Supervisor last year, a position she decided to pursue after moving back into Skippack a mere three years earlier.  Sarah’s campaign pages are still up as of this writing (see here and here.).

On September 1, 2017, Sarah Glenn dropped out of the race for Skippack Township Supervisor.  The name of the facebook page changed to reflect the new candidates, but this is Sarah’s withdrawal announcement:Sarah Glenn moved to Upper Providence on November 1, 2017, unfortunately for her, a little too late for her to get on the ballot here.

Lest you think that Sarah’s political hopes have been dashed until she establishes herself in her new neighborhood, fear not:  Sarah was appointed to the resume building position of Upper Providence Planning Commission member after only two months’ residency under her belt, and without a resume being distributed to all the members of the Board (Phil Barker dissented on her appointment on those grounds.)

The Planning Commission is not only tasked with vetting and recommending new development in the Township, they will also be a part of the Township’s Act 209 Traffic Study and the Comprehensive Plan update.

How does a resident who has now lived here only four months understand the challenges facing our Township, much less provide meaningful insight into planning for its future?

Sarah Glenn replaced one of two lifetime residents of Upper Providence on the Planning Commission whose appointments were not renewed by the new Board.   And, to be fair, it is the incoming Board of Supervisors’ prerogative to appoint who they see fit to the Planning Commission.

I’m sure she’s a very nice lady, but we used to take the Planning Commission seriously in this Township.  Even if there are absolutely no Democrats living in Upper Providence who, at minimum, know how to at least read a plan, isn’t there at least ONE who has been living in Upper Providence longer than 4 months?

One who is at least invested in this community as more than just a political stepping stone?