UPPER POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP: An Open Letter from The Upper Pottsgrove Journal Board of Editors and Contributors to the Upper Pottsgrove Township Board of Commissioners:
We are writing this letter as a public appeal to you, asking that you reconsider the proposed acquisition of 67 Steinmetz Road, 1327 Farmington Avenue, and West Moyer Road before committing approximately $2.9 million in taxpayer funds.
On August 17, 2026, the Board approved an agreement of sale and Resolution 2026-808 for these properties. The Board also disclosed that Steinmetz Road and Farmington Avenue may be used as building lots in connection with the proposed municipal complex. That decision demands far more scrutiny.
The Township already knows these properties present significant challenges. The Farmington Avenue property was included in the Township’s June 2023 site-suitability study, which identified steep slopes, wetlands, and stream and flooding concerns. These issues can dramatically affect engineering, permitting, stormwater management, environmental requirements, site preparation and construction costs.
At the August 17 meeting, residents raised these concerns directly. Commissioner Al Leach acknowledged the issues and even raised the possibility of environmental contamination, yet he moved on with the August vote and supported the purchases as well.
So, the obvious question is: Why would the Township commit nearly $3 million before proving these properties are actually suitable for the purpose for which they are being purchased? If they prove unsuitable—or require extraordinary engineering, excavation, environmental remediation, or permitting—taxpayers could be left paying millions more for property that was never realistically capable of serving its intended purpose.
There is also a serious timing problem. Leach stated that construction could take approximately two years, and, if this is true, construction would need to begin around fall 2027. That leaves roughly a year to complete engineering, environmental studies, design, permitting and bidding.
Given the known issues with these properties, that is an extremely compressed schedule. Before proceeding, the Township should establish through qualified professional analysis:
- Are the properties actually developable?
- Have environmental investigations been completed?
- Can the wetlands, steep slopes, and flooding issues be addressed?
- Can required permits realistically be obtained?
- What will additional engineering and site-preparation costs be?
- How does this option compare with property the Township already owns?
There is also the issue of the $3.7 million appraisal Leach cited at the August 17 meeting to support the purchase price of approximately $2.9 million which he called a “discount”. The appraisals provided to the Journal only added up to $2,648,000, $1,100,000 less than Leach told the public. Based on that value the township would actually be paying far above the appraised value.
And even a $2.9 million valuation does not answer the most important question: Are these properties actually suitable and economically responsible sites for the municipal complex? Market value and suitability for municipal construction are two entirely different things.
The Township already owns property that could potentially serve this purpose. Before spending another $2.9 million, the Board should provide taxpayers with an objective comparison of all alternatives, including land, engineering, environmental work, permitting, site preparation, utilities, stormwater management, and construction costs.
Until that analysis is completed, proceeding is premature. There is a very real possibility that taxpayers could spend nearly $3 million acquiring these properties and then spend millions more trying to make them usable. That is a risk taxpayers should not be asked to accept without overwhelming evidence that these are the right properties.
Residents have raised the concerns. The Township’s own prior study identified significant limitations. And the Board itself has acknowledged that additional issues, including possible contamination, may exist.
The Board owes the taxpayers an explanation of why they have moved to purchase these properties with these outstanding issues, and how they intend to be use them. The Taylor Board members—the name several residents are now calling the five-member group—are following along as Commissioner Elwood Taylor dictates. These are the same type of proposed purchases that Taylor was involved in before 2018 (Taylor has been on and off the Board since 1998), with the same developer, but was not able to complete.
Purchasing properties without a plan is ridiculous; not describing to taxpayers why and how the Township will use these properties is worse. The West Moyer Road property is located at the intersection of Route 100 and West Moyer Road, just West of the intersection. For the three commissioners that are not officers (president, vice-president) of the Board—Tyrone Robinson, Cathy Paretti, and Dave Waldt—go take a look at this ground and ask yourself, why is the Township buying this?
We are asking these three commissioners to take a stand against Taylor and complete the necessary due diligence, examine the alternatives, and prove that these properties are suitable, developable, and financially responsible before spending nearly $3 million of taxpayer money. For many residents who have followed this Board since January, they see Taylor as the puppet master, Leach as the mouthpiece, while the others obediently follow along.
So, this letter is addressed to the entire Board, but in reality, we are writing to Commissioners Robinson, Paretti, and Waldt. Take a stand against these purchases.