Tinicum Township is well known for its crystal clear streams and rivers, its rolling hills and its acres upon acres of preserved woodlands and meadows. But what’s less well known is that none of it happened by accident. In fact, Tinicum has a longstanding and well-earned reputation for having one of the area’s most robust and successful programs for protecting its natural resources, preserving its open space and instituting policies that prevent pollution and over-development — all of which contribute to Tinicum’s vibrant community (not to mention its strong property values).
While some may claim credit for that achievement, there’s only a handful of residents in the township that are directly responsible — and one of them is John Cole.
John Cole raised his family here, is an active member of Christ Lutheran Church in Pipersville and has served our community in an impressive and wide-ranging capacity for four decades.
Most notably, he served as a select member of the Comprehensive Plan Committee of 2016, crafting the very policies that guide the township’s long-term conservation policies to this day. And if that isn’t achievement enough, he’s also a standing member of the Tinicum Land Preservation Committee and served on Tinicum’s Open Space Commission for nine years. He’s also a trustee for the Tinicum Civic Association, which helps fund more than 30 nonprofit organizations servicing Tinicum, and a Conservation Easement Monitor for the Tinicum Conservancy, which has preserved more than 5,100 acres of open space to date.
Having said all that, there’s one facet of John’s experience that I believe rises about the rest and that’s his membership on the Tinicum Township Planning Commission where he has been a leading voice since 2014. In my opinion, there’s no better companion to the position of Tinicum supervisor than a seat on the planning commission, where detailed knowledge of the township’s comprehensive plan, zoning ordinances and operating procedures is absolutely critical.
The planning commission is typically where gaps in ordinances are identified, proposed ordinances and amendments are discussed and debated at length and new wording is drafted and reworked many times. The truth is that once a drafted ordinance reaches the board of supervisors, the hard work has already been done and the draft ordinance has already been well-polished and primed for an easy “yes” or “no” vote.
Cole’s unparalleled service on the commission is invaluable and it’s also worth mentioning that Cole has retired from his professional career, making him uniquely situated to dedicate himself to the position on a full-time basis.
In the upcoming election for Tinicum supervisor, I urge you to consider Cole’s vast experience and longstanding service to our community when you cast your vote. If we truly want to keep our property values strong and protect Tinicum from forces that seek to open up development and weaken environmental ordinances, there is simply no better choice for Tinicum supervisor than John Cole.
Boyce Budd was a Tinicum supervisor from 2000 to 2012 and president of the Tinicum Conservancy from 2012 to 2018.
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