Board colleague praised the township’s first Latina supervisor for her leadership, representation, and commitment to community
Outgoing Montgomery Township Supervisor Annette M. Long marked her final board meeting Monday night with reflections on service, representation, and community, drawing praise from colleagues and gratitude from residents she served for six years.
Long’s name did appear on the Primary ballot for the Democrats in May; her board colleague Beth Staab ran alongside outgoing township auditor Eric Pelletier, and incumbent Tanya Bamford was also on the ballot.
Democratic voters in the township knocked Long out of the running for another term, and thus, Pelletier will be sworn in next month as a new supervisor.
Chairwoman Audrey Ware opened the board’s remarks by publicly thanking Long for her tenure and impact, before presenting Long with a bouquet of flowers as a thank you.
“I wanted to take a moment to thank Annette,” Ware said. “I would be remiss if I did not mention Annette and thank her for her years of service to our township. You will surely be missed by me. I will speak only for myself, but your thoughtful questions, comments, and input have made a difference in this community. Simply said, thank you for your service. It has been my pleasure serving with you.”
In her farewell remarks, Long thanked township residents for placing their trust in her and said that responsibility guided her approach from the moment she was elected.
“Thank you to the residents of Montgomery Township for the trust that was placed in me and for the privilege of serving our community for the past six years,” Long said. “That trust is something I never took lightly.”
Long said she viewed the role not as a political title, but as a commitment to people and process.
“I understood that the role was not about title or politics. It was about people, about listening, about showing up, and about doing the work,” she said. “Even when it was hard or when personal challenges became difficult, the work was always a priority because our community deserved nothing less.”
Long also reflected on the broader purpose of local government.
“Local elections should never be about personal ambition or political advancement,” she said. “They are about service to the community we call home. I did not step into this role as a politician, but as a public servant, and today I leave with a clearer understanding of our community. I also leave the same way I entered, with humility, gratitude, and a servant’s heart.”
As the first Latina supervisor in Montgomery Township and the only Latina elected official in the North Penn area, Long said representation carried deep meaning.
“That responsibility meant more to me than words can express, because representation matters,” she said. “Leadership matters, and sometimes simply being seen can inspire someone else to believe they, too, belong at the table.”
Long said she was proud to have served as vice chair alongside trailblazing leaders, including Supervisor Candyce Chimera, the first woman elected to the Montgomery Township Board of Supervisors, and Ware, the township’s first Black supervisor.
“Serving beside these trailblazers reminded me that progress is built step by step by people willing to lead with courage and compassion,” Long said.
During her tenure, Long served as board liaison to the Public Safety Committee, Finance Committee, and Community Recreation Center Committee, roles that allowed her to work closely with staff and volunteers.
“I thank each of you, including our department heads, our staff, and our volunteers,” she said.
She also expressed appreciation for Township Manager Carolyn McCreary, calling her “a leader who serves with integrity, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to her staff and the residents she has been entrusted to serve.”
Long concluded by urging continued civic engagement.
“I encourage residents to hold their supervisors accountable for their actions, decisions, and attitudes that affect our lives,” she said. “Thank you for allowing me to serve, and thank you for reminding me every day why true public service matters.”
In a Facebook post shared Tuesday, Long reiterated those sentiments, writing that serving Montgomery Township “has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” and again emphasizing that public service, not political ambition, defined her time on the board.
Her final board meeting marked the end of a chapter defined by visibility, advocacy, and an emphasis on listening, leadership, and community trust.
