Issues I Support

I’m running for West Chester Township Trustee because I believe in a fresh perspective and a balanced approach for our community - one that prioritizes both business and residential needs, as well as the newer and older areas of our community. Our township is thriving, but we need smart, responsible growth that keeps West Chester a great place to live - where economic needs are considered in conjunction with the impact on the quality of life for our community. I believe in revitalizing older areas of our community like Pisgah/Route 42, improving safety with more sidewalks in key areas (like around our schools), being proactive rather than reactive with road and traffic concerns and being a collaborative partner to Lakota and Butler Tech as they plan for future needs, especially as it relates to facilities, land and traffic concerns.

And when it comes to spending taxpayer dollars, I believe in using them wisely - focusing on real community needs and desires, rather than fancy interstate landscaping or tiny unused "pocket parks" or moving a concert stage 90 degrees. We need new leadership that listens to and is engaged with the community.

Balance Growth - Old vs New areas and Residential vs Business

Unfortunately, some of the older areas of our township are in need of revilatization and attention. Our trustees (and the zoning board they appoint) have approved projects without adequate planning for increased traffic and road capacity. (Anyone else try to avoid the intersection of McCauly and West Chester Roads anywhere close to rush hours? Or even at 3:30 on a Tuesday?)

Certain areas of our township have fancy interstate landscaping and walking trails and new splash pads, and other areas of our township have vape shops with neon lights (why does every vape shop have neon lights??), or empty Kroger stores, or streets in need of maintenance. We need to invest in and support our township as a whole, not just new areas.

We also need to balance investment in our residential and business corridors of the township. Township leadership must consider the impact of traffic, lighting, and noise of business areas on surrounding residential neighborhoods.

Pedestrian and Traffic Safety - Sidewalks, Crosswalks, reduce Residential Speeding

Our community has grown dramatically over the last 30+ years since my family first moved here. In 1990, West Chester had fewer than 40,000 residents. In 2020, there were almost 65,000 residents. We have some areas of our community that have relatively strong walkability - Beckett Ridge, for example - and other areas of our community that have almost no sidewalks (most of the east side of the township, areas off Tylersville Road, etc).

I want to prioritize putting sidewalks in key areas - along our major roads, and near our schools and parks. We also need to ensure we have safe crosswalks and lighting near our parks and schools.

I also want to prioritize traffic safety, including digital speed warning signs on key "cut through" residential streets, improving traffic flow at intersections that are so busy they increase the likelihood of people cutting others off (trying to make a left turn off of Kingsgate onto Cox, for example).

Collaboration with Lakota Schools and Butler Tech

I am a proud graduate of Lakota schools (I'm an OG Thunderbird from before the high school split), a Lakota parent and a volunteer. My daughters have attended 6 of the 22 schools within Lakota, including two of the oldest buildings still in use (West Freshman and Adena). Our township leadership needs to commit time and energy to remaining connected to Lakota schools and Butler Tech - attending important events, key board meetings, etc. Our township leadership should understand and consider the impact of township decisions on our local schools.

Lakota is currently planning for future facility needs, and I believe our township should collaborate responsibly with our school district - especially related to items like land and zoning, driver and pedestrian safety, traffic flow and more as the district makes future facility plans.

I also value the partnership between our West Chester Police School Resource Officers (SROs) and Lakota Schools - I would like to see our township continue to strengthen this, to continue to think creatively as to how this collaboration can continue to grow in mutually beneficial ways.

Leadership that Listens

Our township deserves leadership that listens to all the voices in our community - seeking input on issues and projects. We want leaders who are connected to our local school district - who show up to major events and are up to date on the Master Facilities Plan, for example. We want leaders who visit our local library and understand what it offers to our community. We want leaders who connect with our local community organizations and nonprofits to understand and address the needs of our community. We want leaders who actively seek feedback from the community they are elected to serve - not just from friends but from the community as a whole. We are ready for a fresh perspective!