As a personal effort to understand the township’s interim supervisor candidate interview process, I sent the following email to Mimi Gleason yesterday and copied Tredyffrin’s solicitor Tom Hogan and the Board of Supervisors.
Mimi –
I have a couple of questions concerning the interim supervisor candidates and interview process; and hope that you can help.
(1) Understanding that yesterday, January 10 was the deadline for residents to submit their bios, resume, etc. to the township if interested in the interim supervisor position, could you please tell me if any additional applications were received. That is, any additional applications other than those received from John Bravacos, Eamon Brazunas, Mike Heaberg and Kristen Mayock.
(2) As stated at the January 3 Board of Supervisors meeting by Chairman Bob Lamina, we understand that all interim supervisor candidates will be interviewed. Now that the deadline for receiving applications has occurred, could you please let me know the anticipated schedule for interviewing candidates? With the clock ticking and the time constraints of the individual supervisors and candidates, I imagine that finding an acceptable candidate interview date is difficult.
The residents were informed of the candidate interviews at the last Board of Supervisors meeting and we all understand the importance of the process. As the candidate process is public information, your response to this inquiry would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance and I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.
Kind regards,
Pattye Benson
There are reports of Sunshine Act violations by elected officials in other municipalities almost daily in the newspapers. My email to Mimi was a personal attempt to encourage an open and transparent process in the interim supervisor appointment; thus avoiding any suggestion of Sunshine Act violations by our township officials.
There may be ‘doubting Thomases’ among you, but I am pleased to report that I received a response to my inquiry from our township manager by the end of the day. In an email reply, Mimi confirmed that no additional residents applied for the supervisor vacancy. John Bravacos, Eamon Brazunas, Mike Heaberg and Kristen Mayock are the four township residents to be considered for the interim supervisor position.
Mimi confirmed that it is a “ . . . challenge finding an interview date.” She explained that she does not have a date or any more information on the process. However, Mimi offered that, “When it’s sorted out (and yes, that has to be soon) . . . “ that she would let me know the plan.
It appears that our township manager (and supervisors) understand the importance of keeping the interim supervisor appointment process open and transparent to the community. As information about the appointment process develops, I will keep readers informed through Community Matters.
Patty, thank you for keeping us informed. I wanted to know what would happen since Warren Kampf won election. Glad to know the names of the candidates and will wait to hear about the interviews.
I am hoping that the process will be open, and when the resident is chosen, and maybe to the chagrin of some folks here, it will be over. I can just see the anger here if a favored resident does not get the appointment. I hope this is not the case.
Were you, Pattye, satisfied with the last interim appointment? More in line with the concerns you and others express, was it “open and transparent” to the satisfaction of the “township”? thanks
As I have stated previously, I know John Shimrak (Bill DeHaven’s appointed replacement) and he was an excellent choice. John was a former supervisor and would not be a future candidate. Do I think that the process of appointing John was correctly followed by the supervisors. I cannot answer that question. And I don’t know if the township advertised (as was the case this time) for residents to apply for the vacancy. We cannot go back in time . . . My focus is on the open and transparent process of the 2011 interim supervisor appointment. Only one of the candidates, John Bravacos has publically stated that he will not be a candidate in the Special Election. And like John Shimrak, Mr. Bravacos is a former township supervisor.
I hope they pick Mr. Bravacos. It will keep the interim supervisor job from being politicized during the election. If they appoint a candidate for the office, it gives that person a big advantage during the election. But then again…that may be exactly why they’ll pick someone other than Bravacos. Perhaps they want to give a particular candidate an advantage?
I hope that all of those who rushed to erroneous judgment over the nonexistent issue of public versus private interviews will have the courage to step forward and apologize.
There was even one Poster on this Blog who actually accused the Board of Supervisors of incompetence for their decision to make the interview process private. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS FALSE ACCUSATION WAS. . .the Board never gave any indication that the interview process would be private.
I guess those that rushed to judgment are now back peddling with egg on their face. Let’s hope they learned their lesson and will not repeat their mistake in the future.