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Residents press Towamencin supervisors on vacancy process as public commenters urge resignations
Summary
Multiple residents urged the board to clarify the process for filling a vacant supervisor seat and several called for resignations amid allegations that a former supervisor’s conduct went uncondemned; a public commenter used strongly derogatory language toward another named resident during remarks.
Towamencin Township residents used the board’s Feb. 12 public-comment period to press supervisors for a clear process to fill a vacant seat and to call for leadership changes.
An emailed comment read into the record from Jen Foster, who identified herself in the text as “township president,” asked why the vacancy-filling process was not on the agenda, urged transparent updates for constituents and recommended Dan Bell as “the least controversial appointment.” Foster’s message concluded by saying “Kristen and Chuck should resign,” citing leadership failures and alleging a refusal by one supervisor to condemn antisemitic conduct by a former supervisor named Laura.
Tina Gallagher, identified in the email as a resident, separately asked the board to detail the legal and calendar steps for filling the vacancy and to clarify whether consideration by the vacancy board — which she said had been removed from a prior agenda — remains under consideration.
At the podium, Rich Costello, identified as a Tom Benson resident, argued that a prior election had ended in a tie between Rich Marino and Kofi Osei and urged the board to appoint Marino to restore what he called “100% of the township represented.” Paul Andrews (Valley View Way) said he opposed returning Marino to the board based on past conduct during sewer-sale discussions.
Later in the public-comment period a different speaker spoke at length and sharply criticized supervisors’ handling of the matter, questioned whether a judge would be constrained to appoint a Republican to the seat, and used explicitly derogatory language directed at Kofi Osei. The speaker also said they had proposed an appointment process by email to board members and urged more community outreach.
No formal action on the vacancy was taken at the meeting; supervisors did not place a vacancy-selection item on the agenda for debate or vote. The board’s next procedural step was not specified on the record at the Feb. 12 meeting.
The board’s public-record minutes and the recorded transcript identify the topics raised during public comment but do not show a board motion to direct staff to begin a specific vacancy-selection process at this meeting. Residents who asked for clarification were told how to request a transcript or minutes if they wanted a verbatim record of the remarks.
