Five seek three open commissioner seats in West Pottsgrove

WEST POTTSGROVE — The West Pottsgrove Township Board of Commissioners race has three open seats, each carrying four-year terms.

The three incumbents are Republicans Charles Valentine and Steve Miller, along with Dennis Arms, who captured both the Republican and Democratic ballot lines in the spring primary.

The Democratic candidates are Daniel Price and Tim Vey. On July 29, candidate Sarah Elizabeth Collins withdrew her name as a candidate. Vey was put on the ballot in her place.

All candidates were invited through an article in The Mercury to reply to an online candidate questionnaire by Oct. 14.

What follows are their responses in the order in which they were received. Valentine did not respond by the deadline.

Steve Miller

Miller, who did not provide his age, has been a township commissioner for 12 years.

He has an associate’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in urban studies. He did not indicate from where.

“I have worked in retail sales and had been an assistant security supervisor for a large retail chain. I spent 25 years in law enforcement, retiring with the rank of detective,” he wrote.

“The most important issue facing West Pottsgrove Township is infrastructure. Two examples would be the roadways and sewer lines,” Miller wrote.

To address this issue, “I would prioritize which repairs needed to be done and pursue grant money to help pay for these projects. Being proactive by maintaining the roads and sewers cuts the costs for future projects.”

On the question of balancing development and open space needs, Miller wrote, “West Pottsgrove does not have a lot of places for new development. However, new development would help to bring in more tax revenue. Open space is very important as we have four parks in West Pottsgrove Township and in the process of developing a fifth park. These parks are located in different parts of the township so all residents can enjoy them.”

With no adopted state budget, as of this writing, Miller wrote, “smart money management is the key to being prepared for the potential of the absence of state funding. I believe the Township should not overspend. We have reserves and sometimes money must be taken from them to help balance the budget. The township’s budget is not based solely on the reserves. There will be money in the reserves in the event that state funding is delayed. Projected projects that are not a necessity can be delayed until funding becomes available. The same principle applies for state or federal funding. Invest and spend wisely. The township should not have to depend solely on outside funding.”

Miller concluded, “I have been a commissioner for 12 years and board president for 10 years. I started learning about the township by becoming involved with Town Watch, the recreation board and emergency management. I attended meetings and became involved with the community and was elected to the board of commissioners,” he wrote.

“I learned many different areas, including preparing the township’s budget, learning about the infrastructure (sewers and roads). The knowledge has been extremely beneficial in serving the people of West Pottsgrove Township. I live in the township and care about the people who live in West Pottsgrove. It is a great place to live and I would like it to stay that way. I believe with my continued leadership and understanding of the Township, I can help to do great things for the next four years,” he wrote.

Tim Vey

Vey, 42, has never held elected office before and holds a bachelor’s of business administration degree. He did not indicate which institution awarded the degree.

He works as a “debt collector for business-to-business.”

The most important issue facing the township is that it is “unorganized and not investing enough what the people want,” Vey wrote.

He added, “I would like to do audit with forensic auditor. Make sure our books are good.”

On balancing the needs for development and open space, Vye wrote, “I want to encourage businesses to use the land that is already set for business. I think there is a lot of abandoned buildings that can be used again.”

The answer to Pennsylvania have no adopted budget, as of this writing, is to “raise sales tax to cover funds. I don’t know if that can happen.”

On the subject of the federal government shutdown, Vey wrote, “I have open communications with my town. Have clear communications what areas are going to be affected and maybe come up with solutions.”

Dennis Arms

Arms, 38, currently serves as a West Pottsgrove Township Commissioner and previously served as Pottstown Borough Councilor for Ward 4.

Arms has a master’s degree in education curriculum and instruction from Kutztown University, and a bachelor’s degree in organizational development from Rosemont College.

“I am a small business owner in textbook publishing and an experienced educator, having taught students from preschool through college. My teaching background includes courses in business, computers, and family and consumer sciences. In addition to my professional work, I am actively involved in my community, having served on the board of the Pottstown Regional Public Library and on the West Pottsgrove Planning Commission,” Arms wrote.

“The most important issue facing our township is managing the rising cost of services and infrastructure while maintaining financial responsibility and the high level of service our residents expect,” he wrote.

“To meet this challenge, we are building our reserves through PLIGIT short-term investments, exploring grants and alternative funding opportunities, and continuing to ensure every tax dollar is spent efficiently. Careful long-term planning and smart budgeting are key to keeping West Pottsgrove financially healthy,” Arms wrote.

“I support responsible development that strengthens our community. We need growth that fits the character of our township and contributes to our economic base, whether through well-planned residential areas or commercial development that brings in jobs and revenue. West Pottsgrove is largely built out, and most of our remaining open space is already dedicated to parks and recreational areas. Our focus moving forward is on maintaining and preserving these spaces so they continue to serve our residents well. Parks are a vital part of our community’s character, offering recreation, connection, and green space in an otherwise developed area. We’ll continue to invest in their upkeep and accessibility to ensure they remain open and enjoyable for future generations,” wrote Arms.

Arms indicated the lack of a state budget and federal government shutdown merited the same response from the township.

“While it’s never ideal to rely on reserves, West Pottsgrove Township has a reserve account that can help us weather situations like a state budget impasse. If delays in state or federal funding impact our operations, we are prepared to use those reserves to bridge temporary gaps and ensure that essential services for our residents continue without interruption. Our priority is always to maintain stability and uphold the high level of service our community expects, even during uncertain financial times,” he wrote.

Daniel Price

Price, 43, has never held elected office before.

A 2000 graduate of Pottsgrove High School, Price holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Kutztown University (2004) and a master’s degree in nonprofit leadership from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice (2023).

“I have worked across three different sectors, including government, social impact/nonprofit and business. This includes my work in the State Senate of Pennsylvania (2004-2008), West Chester Business Improvement District (2008-2015), Mosaic Community Land Trust (2017-2022) and MontCo Anti-Hunger Network (2022-2024). I am currently a partner in two small businesses: Manatawny Athletic and Tappet LLC,” Price wrote.

“The most important issue facing our municipality in the next four years is managing development in the township. With the potential addition of apartments across from Upland Square and eventual development of the Flagg site, there is going to be a big impact on our community on many levels, including traffic and safety. Ensuring that smart development for the best interest of the township and our residents will be crucial,” wrote Price.

“If elected, I would work with my fellow commissioners, township manager and police chief to ensure that the decisions we make on the approval process of development make common sense for our residents and impacted staff, as well as those utilizing the sites in question. We want to encourage completed development for our township, but also completed in a manner that reflects the values of our community,” Price wrote.

“In the event of absent funding from the state, our main effort should be on the need to analyze and prioritize,” Price wrote in response to a question about Pennsylvania’s failure to adopt an annual budget. “Analyzing our budget in relation to previous years’ spending that potentially relied on state funding for projects will have an impact on how we prepare future budgets. This relates directly to prioritization of projects that rely on state funding and perhaps adjusting timelines on projects that have been on our list to accomplish.”

Should the shutdown of the federal government continue, “if the township relies on federal funding for any projects, that would require us to plan in a similar fashion of the absence of state funding. Furthermore, this absence of funding from both higher levels of government is in a current state of unpredictability, that it would be best for us to operate at a level of adjusted expectations on assistance for such projects,” Price wrote.

He concluded, “As a lifelong West Pottsgrove resident, it is an honor to be able to run for the position of commissioner. This is a community that played a large part in raising me to be the person I am today. I would be beyond grateful to represent the residents of my community.”