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.

What This Report Does Not Include

My log of Supervisor-related activities does not include the many hours I spend posting to this blog, maintaining my personal website, writing a newsletter, creating and posting video clips from meetings, hosting podcast interviews, summarizing decisions made by the Board of Supervisors (BOS Definition), etc. Also not included is the time I spend posting to my personal Facebook page, Twitter account, and Instagram account. These activities are NOT part of my official duties as Supervisor, but represent my personal views.

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

Disclaimer

When speaking with residents on issues that may come before the BOS in the future for a vote, I never express an opinion as to how I will vote because I may not have all the information. Needless to say, I also do NOT discuss any confidential information that is not in the public domain. These discussions with residents are meant solely to inform me of their opinions, not for me to give them my opinion. Or it is just to listen to complaints/concerns and to forward them on to the BOS if necessary

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