Category: Open Records/Transparency

My Supervisor Activities for June 2019

The following is a summary of my Supervisor-related activities for June, 2019. I spent 33.5 hours in June on official Supervisor business, which is somewhat below the average of 45 hours per month for the period of Jan-May, 2019. This is primarily due to the fact that there was only one required public meeting of the Board of Supervisors (BOS) in June. Usually, I spend 10 or more hours preparing for and attending a BOS meeting.

Log of Hours Spent on Official Business

My log keeps track of the time spent on the following:

• Attending “Required” Meetings
• Preparation for BOS Meetings
• Attending Optional Meetings/Activities
• Interaction with Residents
• Travel To & From Meetings

Meetings

In the month of June 2019, I spent 8 hours attending township meetings (required and optional). The average for the 5-month period of Jan-May, 2019, was 10 hours per month (including June, the average is 9 hours). Obviously, BOS meetings are the most important meetings - I am expected to attend them in order to satisfy my duties as a Supervisor. These include regular twice-per-month public meetings, and non-public executive sessions. Optional meetings include public work sessions, and special meetings (see the list below).

“Other Meetings” I attended were optional. In June, 2019, I attended a Planning Commission meeting on June 4, a Joint Zoning Council Definitionmeeting on June 6, a Finance Committee meeting on June 11, and a Newtown Fire Association meeting on June 24.

Interaction with Residents

In my opinion, personal interaction with residents regarding their concerns is an important part of my responsibilities as Supervisor. I want to be sure that I spend enough time reaching out to and responding to residents via personal contact, official email via my johnm@newtownpa.gov account and via my personal john@johnmacknewtown.info account, and via phone and/or Facebook.

In June, 2019, I spent 9.4 hours (28% of my total logged hours) interacting with residents compared to an average of 7 hours per month for the previous 5-month period. This did NOT include the hours I spent campaigning for re-election.

What did I discuss with residents? Here’s a partial list (some items are not included for confidentiality reasons):

• Traffic in the Village at Newtown Shopping Center (read "Parking & Traffic in the Village at Newtown Shopping Center")
• Lawsuit against opioid manufacturers (read "Newtown Files Suit Against Opioid Manufacturers and Distributors")
• Friends of Roberts Ridge Park (join the FB Group)
• Inquiry about Lower Dolington Trail grant application (read "Newtown Township Trail Plan Struggles to Get Off the Ground")

I decided to keep track of my activities as a Supervisor on a monthly basis partly because I want to be accountable to residents, but also to make sure I am making the best use of my time. It's really an honor to serve the community! I learn something new every day and have met many fine people and volunteers who also put in a lot of time without any compensation at all. Thanks to everyone who help keep Newtown in business and safe.

Posted on 02 Jul 2019, 01:48 - Category: Open Records/Transparency

My Supervisor Activities for May 2019

The following is a summary of my Supervisor-related activities for May, 2019. I spent over 43 hours in May on official Supervisor business, which is exactly the average number of hours per month in Q1 2019. That's more than 1 week of 8-hour working days per month! But I'm not complaining. It builds my EXPERIENCE, which enables me to do a better job serving the residents of Newtown going forward.

My log keeps track of the time spent on the following:

• Attending “Required” Meetings
• Preparation for BOS Meetings
• Attending Optional Meetings/Activities
• Interaction with Residents
• Travel To & From Meetings

Meetings

In the month of May 2019, I spent about 11 hours attending township meetings. The average for the 1st quarter of 2019 was 8.3 hours per month. Obviously, BOS meetings are the most important meetings - I am expected to attend them in order to satisfy my duties as a Supervisor. These include regular twice-per-month public meetings, and non-public executive sessions. Optional meetings include public work sessions, and special meetings (see the list below).

“Other Meetings” I attended were optional. For May, 2019, I attended a Planning Commission meeting on May 7, 2019, which reviewed a conditional use Definition application by MOD Super Fast Pizza (read "MOD Pizza Said to be Opening In Newtown". NOTE: The application was approved at the May 22, 2019, BOS meeting.), a Newtown Sewer Authority meeting and a Finance Committee meeting on May 14, 2019.

Interaction with Residents

In my opinion, personal interaction with residents regarding their concerns is an important part of my responsibilities as Supervisor. I want to be sure that I spend enough time reaching out to and responding to residents via personal contact, official email via my johnm@newtownpa.gov account and via my personal john@johnmacknewtown.info account, and via phone and/or Facebook.

In May, 2019, I spent 5.6 hours (13% of my total logged hours) interacting with residents compared to an average of 6.7 hours per month in the fourth quarter of 2018. This did NOT include the hours I spent campaigning for the May 21, 2019, Primary Election (read "Supervisors Fisher and Mack Win Big in Newtown Primary"). What did I discuss with residents? Here’s a partial list (some items are not included for confidentiality reasons):

• Educated residents about Newtown's Pollution Reduction Plan (read "Newtown Township's Pollution Reduction Plan")
• Complaint about Pickering Manor construction
• Inquiries regarding proposal to build a Wawa on the Bypass
• Informed residents how to respond to the Newtown Pollution Reduction Plan

I decided to keep track of my activities as a Supervisor on a monthly basis partly because I want to be accountable to residents, but also to make sure I am making the best use of my time. It's really an honor to serve the community! I learn something new every day and have met many fine people and volunteers who also put in a lot of time without any compensation at all. Thanks to everyone who help keep Newtown in business and safe.

Posted on 01 Jun 2019, 01:14 - Category: Open Records/Transparency

My Supervisor Activities for April 2019

The following is a summary of my Supervisor-related activities for April, 2019. I spent nearly 55 hours this month on official Supervisor business compared to an average of 43 hours per month in Q1 2019.

My log keeps track of the time spent on the following:

• Attending “Required” Meetings
• Preparation for BOS Meetings
• Attending Optional Meetings/Activities
• Interaction with Residents
• Travel To & From Meetings

Meetings

In the month of April 2019, I spent about 13 hours attending meetings. The average for the 1st quarter of 2019 was 8.3 hours per month. BOS meetings are “required” in the sense that I am expected to attend them in order to satisfy my duties as a Supervisor. These include regular bi-weekly public meetings, non-public executive sessions, public work sessions, and special meetings (see the list below). Note: There was an optional Work Session on April 15, 2019, that I missed because I was at the annual PSATS Convention in Hershey,PA, participating on the panel "Social Media for Supervisors" (see my PowerPoint below).

“Other Meetings” I attended were optional. For April, 2019, I attended a Planning Commission meeting on April 2, 2019, where the proposed OR zoning amendment was discussed (read "Planning Commission Recommends Moving Forward with OR Zoning Amendment, But..."), a Zoning Hearing Board meeting on April 4, 2019, where I learned about the Iron Hill Brewery, a Newtown Finance Committee meeting on April 9, 2019, and a Newtown Fire Association meeting on April 29, 2019.

Interaction with Residents

In my opinion, personal interaction with residents regarding their concerns is an important part of my responsibilities as Supervisor. I want to be sure that I spend enough time reaching out to and responding to residents via personal contact, official email via my johnm@newtownpa.gov account and via my personal john@johnmacknewtown.info account, and via phone and/or Facebook.

In April, 2019, I spent 6.8 hours (12% of my total logged hours) interacting with residents compared to an average of 6.7 hours per month in the fourth quarter of 2018. What did I discuss with residents? Here’s a partial list (some items are not included for confidentiality reasons):

• Notified residents of upcoming meetings they may wish to attend
• Spoke to a resident about sidewalks in the Newtown Commons
• Answered a question about the Newtown Human Relations Commission
• Informed residents how to respond to the Newtown Pollution Reduction Plan
• Corresponded with a father whose son wished to do an Eagle Scout project in Newtown
• Posted information about potholes in S. Eagle Road, which subsequently resulted in those potholes being repaired (read the discussion on Nextdoor)

I decided to keep track of my activities as a Supervisor on a monthly basis partly because I want to be accountable to residents, but also to make sure I am making the best use of my time. It's really an honor to serve the community! I learn something new every day and have met many fine people and volunteers who also put in a lot of time without any compensation at all. Thanks to everyone who help keep Newtown in business and safe.

Posted on 01 May 2019, 16:04 - Category: Open Records/Transparency

My Supervisor Activities for March 2019

The following is a summary of my Supervisor-related activities for March, 2019. I spent nearly 46 hours in March on official Supervisor business compared to an average of 50 hours per month in 2018.

My log keeps track of the time spent on the following:

• Attending “Required” Meetings
• Preparation for BOS Meetings
• Attending Optional Meetings/Activities
• Interaction with Residents
• Travel To & From Meetings

Meetings

In the month of March 2019, I spent about 9 hours attending meetings. The average for the 4th quarter of 2018 was 16.1 hours per month. BOS meetings are “required” in the sense that I am expected to attend them in order to satisfy my duties as a Supervisor. These include regular bi-weekly public meetings, non-public executive sessions, public work sessions, and special meetings (see the list below).

“Other Meetings” I attended were optional. For March, 2019, I attended the first public meeting of the Newtown Township Human Relations Commission (read "Meet the Newtown Township Human Relations Commission"), the monthly meeting of the Newtown Fire Association, and a meeting of the Newtown Township Technology Committee.

Interaction with Residents

In my opinion, personal interaction with residents regarding their concerns is an important part of my responsibilities as Supervisor. I want to be sure that I spend enough time reaching out to and responding to residents via personal contact, official email via my johnm@newtownpa.gov account and via my personal john@johnmacknewtown.info account, and via phone and/or Facebook.

In March, 2019, I spent 6.4 hours (14% of my total logged hours) interacting with residents compared to an average of 6.7 hours per month in the fourth quarter of 2018. What did I discuss with residents? Here’s a partial list (some items are not included for confidentiality reasons):

• Answered some questions from residents on the NextDoor Network regarding PFAS in Newtown's wells (read "PFAS Detected in Newtown Township's Water Supply"
• Had a face-to-face meeting with a resident regarding speeding on Frost Lane (for background, read "Frost Lane Traffic Study".
• Spoke to several people regarding the Wawa Traffic Impact Study.
• Spoke to a resident regarding the Newtown Human Relations Commission.

I decided to keep track of my activities as a Supervisor on a monthly basis partly because I want to be accountable to residents, but also to make sure I am making the best use of my time. It's really an honor to serve the community! I learn something new every day and have met many fine people and volunteers who also put in a lot of time without any compensation at all. Thanks to everyone who help keep Newtown in business and safe.

Posted on 01 Apr 2019, 12:23 - Category: Open Records/Transparency

Open Records Requests Processed by Newtown Township in 2018

March 10 through 16 marks “National Sunshine Week.” It was created in 2005 by the American Society of Newspaper Editors. Its goal is to educate the public about the importance of open government and promote a dialogue about the importance of freedom of information and the dangers of excessive and unnecessary secrecy. Public access to official records is fundamental to the public’s ability to understand government actions and hold government officials accountable (source: http://sco.lt/6V79kX).

[March 16, BTW, is the birthday of James Madison, the father of the U.S. Constitution and a key advocate of the Bill of Rights.]

The Pennsylvania Right to Know Act, also known as the Pennsylvania Sunshine Law, is a series of laws designed to guarantee that the public has access to public records of governmental bodies in Pennsylvania.

As part of Sunshine Week 2019, the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records (OOR) is hosting a series of webinars. On Monday, I attended the “Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) Requester Training” webinar presented by Erik Arneson, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. This webinar focused on how to write a good Right-to-Know Law request, accessing information in databases, significant deadlines in the RTKL, how to appeal a RTKL denial, and more.

Thanks to our Open Records Officer Micah Lewis, aka, Township Manager, I was able to analyze the open records requests processed by Newtown Township in 2018.

Some Data

In 2018, Newtown processed 92 Open Records Requests in compliance with the State’s Sunshine Law. A total of 42 (46%) were from businesses, many of which sought building permit records. Almost half were from individuals.

Only 4 requests were from the media, which asked about employee salaries and website statistics.

About 20% of the requests were denied mostly because there were no records that complied with the request.

That underscores the need for requester training. To that end, I urge all citizens to learn more about the PA Right-to-Know law and how to request public records by accessing the Open Records Office at www.openrecordspennsylvania.com.

How Does Newtown Township's Data Compare to Other Towns?

The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records released the results of a statewide 2019 Agency Open Records Officer Survey that sheds light on who is using the state’s Right-to-Know Law, what they’re using it for, and how much time officials are spending each week to fulfill requests. Unfortunately, Newtown Township did NOT participate in that survey. Why not? A good question that I intend to ask the Township Manager. Meanwhile, read the following:

Posted on 12 Mar 2019, 13:24 - Category: Open Records/Transparency