HEY CHELTENHAM TWP COMMISSIONERS, SHOW SOME RESPECT!!

The Cheltenham Township Commissioner Board held their regular monthly legislative meeting last evening for March 2019. As is often the case, I was in attendance.

Typically, the Board’s first order of business is to accept the Minutes from the previous meeting which was held in February 2019. The Minutes always include a sign-in sheet for residents & concerned citizens who attend the meetings. One of the attendees at the previous meeting was former Ward 7 Commissioner, Charlie McKeown– who signed-in as “Commissioner McKeown.”

Prior to voting to accept the Minutes, a motion was made to amend them by deleting the word “Commissioner” on the sign-in sheet in front of Mr. McKeown’s name. The motion was UNANIMOUSLY passed by the Commissioner Board before proceeding to the next agenda item.

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

On a personal note, I ALWAYS address our elected officials by their titles. I NEVER use casual or informal references and ALWAYS address them as Commissioner. It should be conspicuously obvious to the two newest Commissioners who I knew before they were elected. Upon their victories, I ceased calling them by their first names & I ALWAYS refer to them as Commissioner. They will always be “Commissioner” to me. This is just the way I was brought up.

This is the same Board of Commissioners who routinely address our Chief of Police and Fire Marshall informally (and disrespectfully), during Public Meetings.

HOW DISRESPECTFUL CAN THEY POSSIBLY BE?

With public & blatant disrespectful behavior such as this, is it any wonder that our schools & society finds it acceptable to disrespect administrators, teachers or anyone in an authoritative position? This behavior makes it acceptable to kneel during our National Anthem or refuse to stand and recite our Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.

To be fair, one of the Commissioners who must have seen the disgust written all over my face came up to me after the meeting adjourned to address the situation. While I admire him for speaking to me while I was obviously angered, I will NEVER agree with his premise for voting to amend the Meeting Minutes.

I will, however, continue to address him (and the entire Board past, present & future) with the titles & respect they have earned- Commissioner.

So, here’s to you Commissioner McKeown. My apologies on behalf of the Cheltenham Township Commissioner Board. Thank you for your years of loyal service to our community!!