Newtown Municipal Authority Meeting Update

Newtown Township’s Municipal Authority held their regularly scheduled public meeting last night. There may have been some question to the taxpaying residents who attended as to whether this was a public meeting.  Chairperson Sweeney did not allow public input on the decisions made prior to the Board’s votes. Other Board members did not question Mr. Sweeney’s unilateral decision to take votes without public comment.  This was a violation of the Pennsylvania Sunshine law requirement that a reasonable opportunity is to be provided for residents or taxpayers to comment on matters of concern, official action or deliberation prior to official action.  Mr. Sweeney doesn’t allow it, clearly violates the Sunshine Law and neither the Board’s members nor their legal counsel challenges him. Finally toward the end of the meeting, Mr. Sweeney, clearly impatient and desirous to quickly end the meeting, determined that he would allow general public comment.  Sweeney told select residents, that they could not ask questions. Again, no Board Member spoke on behalf of the residents.    

So last night was just another Newtown Municipal Authority meeting, run like a high school club, where Chairperson Sweeney determines who gets to participate and the other members just sit by and let him do what he wants.  Here are the current members of the Newtown Sewer Club so you can get to know who is making decisions for Newtown taxpayers. They include, Joe Sweeney, the chairperson, consistently letting everyone know that he’s too busy to deal with the public.

Mark Caldwell, Board Member for at least the last four years.  Rarely asks a question—sat by as Bob Jackson wasted almost a million dollars in taxpayers’ money and never questioned.  True to form last night, Caldwell voted yes to everything asked.

Jack DiPompeo, Board member who offered last month to ensure that the agenda for the meeting was posted.  It wasn’t and apparently won't be available.  Mr. Sweeney did indicate that there was no timeframe in which the public would have access to either the agenda or the meeting minutes. Last night, Jack also agreed to be the treasurer of the Municipal Authority.  Why, I don’t know?  He did offer that the Municipal Authority could not afford to hire professional help with the finances.  And then, he and other members of the Board, voted to spend up to $1000 with Engineer MacCombie to create a schedule of fees.  So, the Municipal Authority would appear to believe that accurate accounting and financial statements are not as important as an administrative task.  

Linda Gabell, candidate for Newtown Supervisor.  Linda made it clear last month that she could not handle being the treasurer for the Municipal Authority.  But, she does want to be a Newtown Supervisor. Linda, too, as seems to be the case at every meeting, sat by and allowed Mr. Sweeney to dictate without question the conduct of the meeting. 

Finally, George Chittenden who was appointed by the Supervisors to be part of the club but now no Board Member will offer why he is no longer in the club.  There has been no resignation and no explanation. 

The club also has two paid participants. They are Engineer MacCombie and Attorney Sheridan.    Attorney Sheridan appears to have the best deal in the club. He is paid thousands of dollars annually for his services and when he makes a mistake, taxpayers pay him again.  Like last night, we learned that the Ashford financial agreement required significant changes.  We also learned of the many problems with the Timber Lane Sewer Line.  Mr. Sheridan was attorney for the Authority when that line was installed. He was paid then and he will be paid again. No one on the Board questions this and no one on the Board holds Mr. Sheridan accountable.

It is difficult to imagine that this Board will be responsible for constructing a multi-million dollar public works project that the township proposes.  It is my hope that more residents will attend the Municipal Authority meetings and hold them accountable for the service the Board members agreed to provide rather than allowing them to make decisions without comment or question.