Jeff Heilmann Runs For Second Term As 5th Ward Commissioner

Haverford Township 5th Ward Commissioner Jeff Heilmann may encounter some new competition in the future.

Heilmann, the Republican incumbent, is squaring off against Democrat Darin Hayton in the November general election as they vie for the 5th Ward commissioner seat. 

But the new competition may someday come from Heilmann’s 11-year-old son Joseph.

“Joseph says he will be commissioner after me,” Heilmann said to the Haverford-Havertown Patch.

When Joseph turns 18, he plans to run against his dad if he is still commissioner, Heilmann said.

For now, Joseph “considers himself the assistant commissioner,” Heilmann said.

Heilmann is nearing the end of his first four-year term representing the 5th Ward.

The 51-year-old, who said he is separated from his wife and has two children (Joseph and 9-year-old Amanda), has lived in Haverford Township for 14 years.

After graduating from Villanova University in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science in marketing, Heilmann has spent the past 29 years selling heating and ventilating equipment for his family’s business, John F. Scanlan Inc. of Philadelphia.

He volunteers at the Coopertown Civic Association, where he serves as street representative coordinator and helps with events; and said is “very involved” at his children’s school, Ss. Coleman-John Neumann School in Bryn Mawr, where he severs on the home-school board and assists with fundraising efforts.

In the past, Heilmann served on two Villanova University alumni boards which have since been taken over by the university. He was president of the Villanova Wildcat Club, which raised as much as $1 million a year for Villanova athletics, and he was a member and president of the Villanova Mainline Alumni Association, he sid.

Heilmann also formerly served as vice president of the eastern division of the international fraternity, Delta Tau Delta, and as chapter advisor for Villanova University’s local fraternity chapter of Delta Tau Delta.

Heillmann said he first decided to run for commissioner four years ago because “at the time there was a lot of corruption” and he wanted to “clean things up.”

His accomplishments as commissioner have included being “heavily involved” in establishing single-stream recycling in the township, which eliminated the need for residents to sort their recyclable items; and saving the township money on trash and recycling fees, Heilmann said.

Other accomplishments have included establishing a “no soliciting” bill in the township which legally prohibits solicitors from going door to door in in the township unless they have a permit; assisting with writing a speed hump ordinance and helping to fight the installation of billboards in the township, Heilmann said.

Heillmann said the whole Board of Commissioners “has worked really well together, Democrats and Republicans.”

Heilmann said he is running for a second term because “I think there’s still more work to be done and I enjoy it.”

He said he also enjoys helping people.

“That’s the main reason,” Heilmann said.  “I love helping people.”

Heilmann said he thinks the main issue of concern for 5th Ward residents is preventing a tax increase in the township.

“Right now it’s taxes, there’s no question about it,” Heilmann said about the issue.

Heilmann said he has “a lot of seniors” in his ward and “a lot of them are on fixed incomes” and cannot afford higher taxes.

Other issues which concern Ward 5 residents are “minor flooding issues” and deer culling, Heilmann said.

Heilmann said people should vote for him “because I think I’ve done a really good job.  I think I’ve been honest.  I think I’ve been helpful to everyone.”