TOWNSHIPS
TODAY
is a quarterly newsletter designed to help PSATS
members reach out to their residents and educate them about townships and
issues affecting their community. PSATS staff creates the newsletter and
mails copies to townships statewide, which are encouraged to share the
publication with their residents.
You may read the article below or download the PDF
version.
Download PDF file
What Can You Do for Your Township?
Whether you live in a township that's large or small, it takes a team to run
it.
Township supervisors, managers, secretaries, road crews, police officers,
code enforcement officials, and many others work together to ensure your
family and home are safe and that you get the answers you need - when you
need them.
Of course, on the surface, your community may appear to be a quiet place.
Behind the scenes, however, it's a different story. You may not realize it,
but each and every day the township is humming with activity as local
officials take care of business so they can take care of the township and
you.
That means passing ordinances, patching potholes and paving roads, plowing
snow, solving problems, and always, always, carefully watching tax dollars.
And while your township may run like a well-oiled machine, townships of all
sizes and budgets can always use more help.
So maybe it's time to ask yourself: What can I do for my township? The
answer to that question is simple enough: Get involved.
Despite their busy lives, many people have.
Pennsylvania has millions of volunteers
Last year, in fact, almost 2.7 million Pennsylvanians dedicated 350.2
million hours of their time to volunteer service, according to a 2007 report
from the Corporation for National and Community Service, which sponsors such
programs as AmeriCorps. While that figure is down slightly over the last two
years, it represents an increase of almost 8 percent since 1989.
Not surprisingly, residents 65 or older did the most volunteering, followed
by 35- to 64-year-olds. Those 25 to 34 years of age averaged the fewest
hours of service but still exceeded the national average by a few percentage
points.
As others have found, volunteering in a township can be personally
rewarding. Think of it this way: By offering to help, you're choosing to
give something back to the community that has given you, your family, and
neighbors so much.
It can be an educational experience, too. With an insider's view of your
local government, you'll see how township officials tackle issues and reach
decisions to serve the best interests of the whole community.
Volunteering also allows you to play a role in shaping your community.
That's what prompted John Haiko, a Chester County supervisor and an officer
of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, to get
involved in his municipality, where he began his public service career on
the planning commission.
"At the time, the township was sparsely populated but was beginning to see
some development," he says. "If this change was going to happen, I wanted to
have an opportunity to help manage it."
Two years later, Haiko was appointed to the board of supervisors, where for
the past 17 years he and his colleagues have been employing innovative land
use strategies to encourage growth in the township while maintaining its
natural and historic beauty.
Above all else, though, when you donate your time and talents to your
township, you're helping it reduce costs. For instance, in Jackson Township,
Cambria County, a local business owner saved the community hundreds of
dollars over the years by simply fixing its computer problems for free.
How much time you give is entirely up to you. While you can make a big
commitment to your township by serving on its planning commission, the parks
and recreation board, or its environmental advisory committee, if it has one
of these, you can opt instead to perform smaller tasks, such as helping out
with a mailing, planting flowers and trees, installing playground equipment,
writing articles for the newsletter, taking photos at a township-sponsored
event, or doing some filing.
To get the volunteer ball rolling, pick up the phone and call your township.
Talk to officials about your skills, tell them how much time you have to
offer, and ask them what help they need. Township officials will appreciate
your willingness to pitch in and will work with you to find opportunities.
Make time for a meeting
Volunteering is just one way to get involved in your township; attending
meetings is another.
Sure, it's important to give something back to the place you've put down
roots, but it's equally important to understand the issues first hand, learn
about projects the township supervisors are working on, and determine how
these things will impact your municipality.
The supervisors meet once a month - sometimes twice - and it's at these
get-togethers that you will learn the most about your township. You can call
the township or log onto to its Web site, if it has one, to find out about
upcoming meeting dates and times.
Typically, the board meetings are over within an hour or two and cover a
variety of topics, from spending to new developments. Keep in mind, too,
that the law requires the township supervisors to set aside time for public
comment so you will have an opportunity to address the board face-to-face
and help guide its decisions.
If, however, it's difficult for you to attend a meeting, you can always read
about it in the local newspaper, check out a rerun on the local public
access channel, or visit the township's Web site. Many communities post
meeting minutes on the Web and these detail what decisions were made and
why.
Getting involved in your township is as simple as devoting a few hours a
week, a few hours a month, or a few hours a year. And if you're still a bit
hesitant, remember these wise words: "Do all you can with what you have, in
the time you have, in the place you are."
Now, don't you have a phone call to make?