Meet Marple Candidate: Jan Ceton

Name: Jan Ceton       

Municipality: Marple Township

Party: Republican

Running For (include district/ward if applicable): Re- Election as Marple Township 2nd Ward Commissioner

Positions Held Previously/Years in Office:

• Marple Township 2nd Ward Commissioner Current (Jan. 2010- Present)
• Marple Township Tax Collector 16 years (1994-2009)
• Marple Township Emergency Management Coordinator (2001- Present)
• Broomall Fire Company, Past President, Lifetime Member
• Marple Business and Professional Association, Current board member, and past President
• Marple-Newtown 4th of July Committee, Current President
• Marple Newtown Tiger Foundation, Current President
• Marple Newtown Band Parents, Past President
• Marple Newtown Swim Club, Past President
• Marple Township Historic Commission, Past President

What are the larger issues facing the township and how would you like to see them resolved?

• Keeping Taxes Low
• Fighting Billboards and Blight
• Managing Township Services
• Preserving Open Space and Improving Our Parks and Recreational Facilities

Would you welcome more transparency with the taxpayers? How could you make that possible?

I feel that we do a very good job of keeping our neighbors informed of local issues. Local monthly board of commissioners meetings and committee meetings (Public Safety, Public Works, Budget, Paxon Hollow) are open to the public and well attended and every Marple resident is given the opportunity to speak at our public meetings. We are often commended by our neighbors watching the televised board of commissioner’s meetings in their homes for the professional manner in which they are conducted.  

We have also implemented the Global Alert Emergency Call System as a tool to communicate with the entire community or a specific neighborhood. Marple Township is also now mailing a quarterly newsletter directly to residents titled "Township News" to help keep everyone informed of local Township issues.

If elected, what changes would you like to see in the township or what is working well and you'd like to continue? 

We have made excellent progress in many areas in the last four years. We have successfully budgeted township projects, and delivered a zero percent tax increase in 2011 and 2013! In fact, Marple Township is among the lowest tax based towns in Delaware County.

We will continue our work to find creative ways to boost revenue and cut any expenses deemed wasteful that we find. One positive example has been the sharing of township resources with neighboring Haverford Township for Brine-Leaves programs and health inspections with Newtown Township.

We now have township-wide once a week recycling that generates new revenue. Subsequently, the amount of trash that is collected and the cost to dispose of that trash has gone down by our recycling efforts.  

Paxon Hollow Country Club has been significantly upgraded by contracting with a new catering-restaurant vendor, and there is now a full service restaurant, improved banquet facility and snack bar that attracts more customers and increases revenue to the township.   

Why should residents give you their vote?

I consider every Marple resident to be more than just a taxpayer, they are my neighbors. As a commissioner it is my job to speak up for my neighbors in the 2nd Ward and to conduct township business with their interests in mind, while at the same time doing what is best for the entire township. I have done that every day as 2nd Ward Commissioner and I feel that I have earned my neighbors trust to advocate for them and accomplish positive outcomes on their local issues and projects.

It has been my honor to serve as 2nd Ward Commissioner for the past four years and I ask that my 2nd Ward neighbors let the work that I have done speak for me when they decide to cast their votes.