UPPER POTTSGROVE — The newly elected Board of Commissioners in Upper Pottsgrove Township is now facing a significant operational challenge: the lack of a permanent public meeting space following the abrupt halt of a long-planned municipal complex project.
The situation goes back to a lawsuit filed before the most recent election (2025 local elections) by current Commissioners Al Leach, Elwood Taylor, and Tyrone Robinson. The legal action sought to stop construction of a new municipal complex that had been in development for more than four years and was intended to consolidate township administration, police, and public works into a single, modern facility. Leach, Taylor, and Robinson waited to file the lawsuit against the township building project eight months after the prior board approved the project.
The township’s existing facilities—the township administration building and the police/public works complex—are in poor condition, with ongoing structural concerns and reported mold issues. The previous board had structured the project to avoid tax increases and eliminate the need for new debt, while also aiming to reduce long-term operating expenses by replacing two aging and deteriorating buildings.
The lawsuit resulted in a county court ruling that halted construction pending the appeal to the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. However, after Leach, Taylor, and Robinson were elected to the Board of Commissioners, they moved to stop the appeal—an appeal where they are the plaintiffs, effectively ending the legal dispute.
The decision to drop the appeal has raised procedural and ethical questions. A Right-to-Know request reportedly found no record of a formal public vote authorizing the withdrawal of the township’s appeal to the Commonwealth Court. This action creates a conflict of interest as the same individuals who initiated the lawsuit now, in their new roles as commissioners, move to drop the appeal.
The township’s new solicitor has stated that the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission reviewed the matter and found the process acceptable, though independent verification of that conclusion is ongoing.
In the interim, township meetings have been relocated to the West Pottsgrove Municipal Building, where the township pays a usage fee per meeting. Officials are exploring alternative locations, but no long-term solution has been identified.
Concerned residents contend that the lawsuit was a political stunt, and now this new board has no solution to the building issue. Residents point to the timing of the lawsuit—filed just as construction was set to begin after substantial public investment—as well as the subsequent decision to withdraw the township’s legal defense once control of the board changed hands.
Questions have also been raised about whether alternative motivations influenced the halt of the project. At a recent meeting, Commissioner Cathy Paretti referenced a potential offer from a developer but did not provide details when asked publicly. Readers may also recall that Paretti and Taylor have had closed-door meetings with developers as well.
With the municipal complex project now indefinitely stalled, township officials acknowledge that it could take years—if at all—before a permanent facility is secured. In the meantime, concerns remain about the adequacy of working conditions for township staff and the lack of a dedicated space for public governance.