Qualified, Experienced Leadership for Lansdowne
Magda Byrne
By Jayne Young
When Magda and her husband Kenny moved to the borough she quickly got involved saying yes to one volunteer “opportunity” after another quickly becoming one of our bright and shining stars in the borough. It came as no surprise that the Lansdowne Democratic Committee would discover Magda and recruit her to run for Borough Council. Four years ago, she was successful in her run for council and this year Magda is on the ballot for her second term. When asked for a list of her accomplishments she mentions Comcast Cares Day, followed by the Art Museum Inside Out and her participation in the Lansdowne Landing project.
All if these projects have been important to the borough but voters also value the day to day operations. Her “Community Relations” committee has never been stronger than under her leadership. Magda uses her committee to communicate with Lansdowne boards and civic organizations, offering access to borough government in a welcoming way. Her participation as liaison to Parks and Rec and the Library Board has brought attention to these borough assets.
Most importantly Magda has a vision for the borough she serves. She understands that moving projects forward takes a great deal of time and effort and she willingly does the hard work. Spending time with her at borough events you get a sense of her place in the community. Residents know her and appreciate the job she is doing. She is approachable and pays attention to their concerns.
Magda has an aptitude for service. She expects a lot from herself and enjoys working with people who share a vision and enthusiasm for our “Village”. Voters should re-elect Magda Byrne. She is dedicated to Lansdowne and has earned our vote.
Jayne Young is a Lansdowne Democratic Committeeperson in the 1st Precinct.
Janet English
By Edith Ferebee
Janet English currently serves on Borough Council as the Vice President, chairs the Public Safety committee and is a member of the Finance committee. She has been a member of the Lansdowne Borough Council for two terms and is seeking a third term in the November 2017 election.
Janet has been a resident of Lansdowne for twenty years. She previously resided in Upper Darby. Her husband serves as a volunteer fireman for Lansdowne and did so even while living in Upper Darby. So when they decided to buy a new home they looked at Lansdowne. She found Lansdowne to be a community with friendly neighbors and that was one of the positive factors influencing her desire to move here.
When growing up, Janet’s family meals were filled with discussions of current events, including politics. Her mom was a union rep and Janet related that her first introduction to politics was from the womb, since her mother was pregnant with her when she attended a political rally for John F Kennedy. So when the opportunity came up to become more directly involved in politics it wasn’t exactly foreign to her.
As a new Council member she was initially somewhat reticent and it took time to become acquainted with the workings of borough government, but in time, she became more comfortable with voicing her opinion. Janet has always enjoyed the Library and that interest raised her concern that they lacked enough staff to efficiently support all of the services. The Library serves not only Lansdowne residents, and some residents of surrounding communities. Additionally its proximity to the train station results in a fairly high volume of users. Using a door counter it was determined that the Library user traffic averaged between 4,500 and 5,500 people. Increasing staff with the appropriate skills is not without cost, and borough government must always be mindful of economic burdens on the residents. The use of grants has been employed to defray increased cost for the Library and various other borough projects.
As a member of the Finance committee, Janet participates in budget discussions and union contract negotiations. As the offspring of union member parents she is acquainted with the concerns of union members. She is also conscious that the Borough must fulfill obligations to the residents as cost effectively as possible, while balancing the need to treat employees fairly and to avoid adversarial relations. When an earlier budget talk and union negotiations came up, an opportunity arose to consider cost reductions. The idea of reducing trash collection from twice a week to once a week seemed reasonable. Janet sought input from residents to gauge their thoughts on the impact. Most residents were agreeable to the collection reduction. She feels that when residents are informed of an issue they respond positively when they know what is at stake.
Janet pointed to a number of infrastructure improvements implemented during her term. The Borough has changed street lighting to LED which is more energy efficient and ultimately less costly. The upgrade was in part funded by a grant. Sewer lines have been upgraded to help reduce runoff. Rain gardens have been installed at the Library and the Twentieth Century Club. Communities are charged according the amount of runoff. It is a goal of the Borough to continually look for ways to gradually reduce runoff and thereby reduce cost. In addition to grants, some of the Borough enhancements have been achieved by volunteers. The need for some upgrades may not always be apparent to residents. The Borough recently replaced a Fire truck. The need was questioned by some residents. However, Insurance company rates can be impacted by the age and uniform standards of emergency equipment. The Fire truck replaced was more than twenty years old. Janet is looking forward to continuing to serve the residents of Lansdowne.
Edith Ferebee is the Lansdowne Democratic Committeeperson in the 9th Precinct.
Wardell Holt
By Clare Hughes
If Wardell Holt has knocked on your door recently, either with your copy of the Lansdowne Leader or accompanied by a Councilperson to introduce himself, you probably noticed that he was more interested in you and your concerns than any political ambitions. Soft-spoken but firm, he wants to hear about everything from your taxes to the asphalt on your block to your kid’s soccer team. He’s a family man– who even brought his mother-in-law to Lansdowne to live in his home’s twin– with a strong education and impressive career background.
As an engineer, Wardell both understands and is committed to the safety and infrastructure of our Borough. He looks forward to working with all parties to ensure that Lansdowne families are safe, comfortable and aware that Borough Council is working for them. He believes firmly in the importance of hearing from diverse stakeholders and really hearing their needs. He also hears community members concerns about the perception of our schools, and is ready to define the issues and work with all parties to stop the advance of those problems. The security, fair funding and quality of our schools is of the utmost concern for him.
Wardell is committed to a balanced Borough budget without overburdening the tax payer. He recognizes that Lansdowne residents are concerned about taxes and education and fear their voices may not be heard. He is committed to communicating with his constituents as he does as a Democratic Committeeman for the 11th Precinct.
Wardell Holt is used to working under a deadline with limited resources and stringent parameters. With an MBA from Drexel University and 20 years as a career problemsolver, this Lansdowne resident of 14 years, father of two and advocate for youth, mental health issues and those experiencing homelessness is ready to give back to the community he loves.
Clare Hughes is a Lansdowne Democratic Committeeperson in the 11th Precinct.
Michael Schleigh
By Kate Wagner
As president of Borough Council, Mike Schleigh is running for re-election this year. Before serving on Council, he served as a Borough Auditor and the Borough’s representative on the local sewer authority.
Michael’s personal beliefs in sacrificing one’s self for the greater good and charitable activities, values instilled in him as a child, have helped him to be a become a person who contributes in a positive way to the community. He has lived in Lansdowne for over a decade. When not leading the Council, you’ll find him helping to lead his daughter’s soccer team or Girl Scout troop.
Since being first elected, Mike, along with other elected officials, was instrumental in obtaining the turning traffic signal at the corner of Lansdowne and Baltimore. Under his leadership, Borough Council has supported the Arts on the Avenue Festival, and more recently, the Lansdowne Landing. He believes that these endeavors will be successful venues and help revitalize our business district.
Currently, Mike is spearheading the consideration of new public health ordinance which will help the Borough deal with issues arising out of the opioid addiction that plagues our region. He is a trial attorney with over 15 years in private practice and a solicitor for another Delaware County borough and uses this experience to help examine proposed ordinances and programs particularly from a risk assessment and legal point of view.
Kate Wagner is a Lansdowne Democratic Committee person (additional) in the 2nd Precinct.