Bamford Sworn-In for Second Term in Montgomery Township

Dan Sokil | The Reporter•

Montgomery Township supervisors Audrey Ware, Candyce Fluehr Chimera, Tanya Bamford, Beth Staab and Annette Long pose after the board’s reorganization

The new year has brought familiar faces in familiar places in Montgomery Township.

Township officials swore in supervisor Tanya Bamford for a second term, and reappointed a familiar board chair and a new vice-chair for 2024 in their reorganization meeting on Jan. 2.

"Six more years of community service for you. We appreciate the time that you take from your families to do this,” said supervisor Candyce Fluehr Chimera.

Bamford, the director of a marketing company who was elected to the board in 2017, served as chair from 2020-22 and was reelected last November, received her oath from county judge A. Nicole Tate-Phillips, as did elected township auditor Eric Pelletier. During the reorg meeting, all four other supervisors applauded and congratulated Bamford and Pelletier, before supervisor Annette Long made a motion to nominate Chimera, the board’s longest-tenured supervisor who was first elected in 2009, for another year in the center seat she had previously held in 2012, in 2016-17 and in 2023.

"She has served us well as chairwoman in the past, has the experience, and we like serving with her. So I nominate Candyce,” said Long.

"Thank you very much for the continued trust and support. I will continue to do my best,” Chimera said.

For vice-chair, another familiar face, but in a new role: Chimera moved to name supervisor Audrey Ware to her first leadership post since being elected in 2021, saying "I think she is ready, willing and able to accept the challenge,” and the board approved unanimously: "Congratulations Audrey, you have a job now,” Chimera said, as Ware thanked the four others.

Separate unanimous votes also approved the board’s 2024 holiday and meeting schedule, fee schedule, appointed officials, consultants and their fees, and several appointments to volunteer boards and commissions, all of which are included in the board’s meeting materials for that meeting.

Separate votes also approved naming Bamford to be the board’s liaison to the state association of township supervisors, the board’s liaisons to various boards committees, and an updated contract for township Manager Carolyn McCreary, after a minor glitch as Chimera accidentally read the resolutions out of order.

After the reorganization meeting, the board also held a brief action meeting, which Chimera started by thanking those who contributed to the recent food and toy drives for the holidays.

McCreary then gave updates about several action items and requested board approvals, including for installation by PennDOT of new traffic cameras at two intersections in the township, for removal of a plaque recently installed at the Korean War Memorial and Peace Park in the township without proper approvals, and for a joint approval changing a regional grouping of municipalities meant to address stormwater runoff regulations into a formal consortium

"The group right now, while they work together through intergovernmental cooperation, there is not something officially in place. So what we are looking to do, and what has been recommended, is that this group form a consortium,” McCreary said, which could help with grant applications and formally bidding projects.

Montgomery Township’s supervisors next meet at 7 p.m. on Jan. 22 at the township administration building, 1001 Stump Road. For more information visit www.MontgomeryTwp.org.

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