Reduce Council Question Faces Yardley Voters In Nov. 8 Election

YARDLEY, PA —A resident's bid to reduce the members of the Borough Council by two will now be placed on the November election ballot.

Earl Markey had informed Borough Council at its mid-August meeting of his petition to reduce the council from seven members to five.

That petition led to a hearing and ruling by Court of Commons Pleas Judge Robert J. Mellon earlier this month to have the question appear on the borough's Nov. 8 general election ballot, which was confirmed by Borough Manager Paula Johnson.

This is the first referendum under a 2020 law that shifted the decision from the courts to voters, Markey said.

"Our neighbors in Lower Makefield Township have five supervisors governing a municipality more than ten times larger than Yardley Borough," Markey said. "Five council members could govern our one-square-mile borough with its single stop light just as effectively."

Markey said the council has experienced "multiple resignations" over the past few years, including two recent departures.

The council filled two vacancies at its recent meeting with Don Carlson and David Appelbaum. They replaced David Bria and Chris Campellone, who resigned because both were moving out of town.

Carlson and Appelbaum are expected to join the council for the first time at Tuesday night's meeting.

Markey was among five candidates who had applied and were interviewed by council for the open seats.

He said that few residents seem committed to volunteering "the considerable amount of time, effort, and expense that comes along running for and holding office."

He also questioned why when a council member resigns that the remaining members select a
replacement who serves until the next municipal election.

"This results in appointees who are more beholden to members (and staff) than the voters," he said.