In 2019, when Commissioners Cathy Paretti and Dave Waldt ran against Commissioner Elwood Taylor, they sent out a letter to Upper Pottsgrove residents stating why they were running. Below is that letter.
Some points to consider as you read it. The prior board fixed all the financial issues you see in the first paragraph. After the current board received the auditor’s brief for 2025 and reported that all accounting complied with generally accepted accounting principles, Taylor convinced the board to hire yet another accounting review.
Several residents at the meeting where the board voted for an additional review questioned the logic of the move and the cost. However, Taylor was adamant, and Paretti and Waldt dutifully voted as Taylor desired. Observers suggest that, after watching this new board’s spending spree, Taylor is laying the groundwork to blame the previous board after this board busts their budget.
You’ll see in their letter how Paretti and Waldt describe Taylor’s view that any change other than him in office, and any entity other than a township running a sewer company, should be feared. Proponents of the sewer sale commented that Taylor has never understood the great risk in owning and running a sewer system and the superior expertise American companies offer.
The resolution (Resolution 703) that their letter describes restricts commissioners from serving on internal committees as well as on outside boards that receive funds from the township. Taylor was at one point a commissioner, president of the board of commissioners, planning commission member, chairman of the planning commission, and, for a short period, he was acting manager. So, because the resolution prevented him from expanding his role, when Taylor returned to office, he quickly got Resolution 703 repealed with Paretti voting with him as he directed.
Another interesting item in the letter is where Paretti and Waldt, in the second-to-last paragraph, pledge to serve no more than two terms. With their flip-flopping record, we’ll see how this statement holds up.
