Shared Vision for Hatfield Township

By Thomas C. "Tom" Zipfel

I am running for Commissioner in the 4th Ward for Hatfield Township. This year's primary race will be held on May 19, 2009, and voting will take place at Pennfield Middle School.

After knocking on more than 300 residents' doors, it is clear to me that the ideas of 18,000 residents are better than just one. In other words, I have a "shared vision" of Hatfield government that is built on a consensus of its residents. It is also clear to me that the majority of residents have a similar vision for the future of Hatfield which includes a few simple items:

• creating the proper balance between business growth and community interests;

• rejecting new taxes;

• protecting township resources (i.e., crafting an open space initiative with a focus on not increasing taxes);

• enhancing communication between the Township and its residents (i.e., creating an email notification system to inform residents of events, municipal services, critical votes, etc....)

• promoting community service opportunities among residents (i.e., posting community service opportunities on the Township website); and

• promoting and supporting community gatherings inside each neighborhood such as block-parties in order to bring residents together on a more frequent basis so people can get to know their neighbor.