Democrats Reject Horsham Council Appointments

HORSHAM TOWNSHIP, PA —The Horsham Township Council approved the appointments of 21 people to numerous boards and commissions at its reorganization meeting last week but two members didn't go along with the decision.

Democratic Councilwoman Ellen Zschunke abstained from voting while Councilwoman Samatha Slaff voted against the appointments.

Zschunke said at last Monday's council meeting that she "expressed in the past and will continue in the future that my goal in representing voters here in Horsham is to ensure that residents have the opportunity to be a part of the process and we have, again, overlooked many interested candidates."

She said this year she focused specifically on vacant seats rather than re-appointments and reached out to each fellow council member with the data to date of how many residents have expressed interest in these roles.

Since 2019, for the Planning Commission, we have received nine interested parties, for the Parks & Rec Boards, we have received 17 inquiries, for the Industrial & Commercial Development Authority, there were eight resumes from residents, and for the MIRIA (the Military Installation Remediation & Infrastructure Authority), there have been five communications from individuals hoping to serve the community.

"Instead of considering those who have expressed interest dating back to 2020, we are tonight planning to appoint six individuals who have all reached out within the last week and a half," Zschunke said. "I will continue to work to get every Horsham resident a seat at the table who has expressed a willingness and interest in serving our community."

Slaff voted against the appointments.

"When I ran for Council in 2023, my main platform was representation," she said. "I ran so that everyone in the township, regardless of political affiliation, could have a voice in the township and an opportunity to serve to and shape our wonderful community. At that time, it had been my feeling that community members would not be appointed if their voter registration status didn’t match with the Council majority. Now as a sitting council member, I have witnessed this to be the case firsthand."

Slaff said she was disappointed in the partisan position the Republican council majority continues to take.

"We have numerous community members, who over the years, have expressed interest in getting involved and shaping our community, but the council majority will not even consider them if they are not friends, acquaintances, or have the aligning political affiliation. I disagree with the political game being played with these appointments by the Council majority, and for that reason, I will be voting against these appointments."

The appointments made were:

• Anthony Spangler to a one-year term on the Vacancy Board.
• David McCullough to a four-year term on the Planning Commission.
• Steve Quigley to a four-year term on the Planning Commission.
• Milton Kunz to a three-year term on the Planning Commission.
• Jon Hartmaier to a five-year term on the Horsham Water and Sewer Authority.
• Allen Presley to a five-year term on the Horsham Water and Sewer Authority.
• Patrick Leitzel to a five-year term on the Parks and Recreation Board.
• Collin Johnson to a one-year term on the Parks and Recreation Board.
• Chris Weinrich to a four-year term on the Police Pension Advisory Board.
• Junaid Chaudhry to a five-year term on the Horsham Industrial and Commercial Development Authority.
• Ashlee Biondo to a three-year term on the Zoning Hearing Board.
• Joanne Coniglio to a five-year term on the Environmental Advisory Board.
• Tom Southard to a five-year term on the Historical Advisory Commission.
• Marie Clark to a three-year term on the Library Board of Directors.
• Cindy Weinrich to a three-year term on the Library Board of Directors.
• Joseph Wade to a five-year term on the Horsham Land Redevelopment Authority.
• T. William Hallston to a five-year term on the UCC Board of Appeals.
• Tom Leopold to a five-year term on the UCC Board of Appeals.
• Sam Van Horn to a five-year term on the UCC Board of Appeals.
• Todd Stephens to a five-year term on the Military Installation Remediation and Infrastructure Authority.
• William Whiteside to a five-year term on the Military Installation Remediation and Infrastructure Authority.
• Anthony Spangler to a one-year term on the Military Installation Remediation and Infrastructure Authority.