Clockwise from upper left: Republican challengers John Dale and Steve Fedele, and Democrats Eric Pelletier and incumbent Beth Staab. (Submitted photos)
Democrat Staab is only incumbent on ballot
Elections (Credit: MediaNews Group)One familiar name and three new ones will be on the ballot for Montgomery Township’s voters on Nov. 4.
Incumbent Democrat Beth Staab and fellow Democrat Eric Pelletier are being opposed by Republicans John Dale and Steve Fedele for two six-year terms on the township’s board of supervisors.
All candidates were asked the same questions, and below are their answers.
STAAB
Beth Staab (Submitted photo)Describe your background and qualifications for the position you are seeking.
My husband and I have called Montgomery Township our home for 28 years. While we raised our three boys here, I volunteered in their schools, gave back through our church, Mitzvah Circle, and many local causes — because for me, serving the community has never been just volunteering. It’s given my life purpose.
Since I was elected in 2019, I’ve brought my lifelong passion for environmental advocacy to our local level — because policy is where change becomes real.
In the past six years, I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished: We passed a single-use plastic reduction ordinance to cut down on unnecessary waste.
We’ve made significant progress on our transition to renewable energy — saving taxpayer money while building a cleaner, more sustainable future.
And we invested in sidewalks and crosswalks, making our township more walkable.
We even worked with residents to allow backyard chickens — with fair and responsible guidelines — proving that common-sense, community-driven solutions still exist.
What are the biggest issues or concerns you hear from local residents? How would you address those?
But I’m not done. If re-elected, I’ll continue working to focus on our residents’ priorities:
First, making our streets safer — especially in neighborhoods where speeding has become a real concern. Using proven traffic calming methods such as speed bumps, creating a resident task force and police enforcement.
Second, we must reimagine our Montgomery Mall — and reshaping it back into the town center for our community. I am already working with the mall to amend their zoning to allow entertainment and non-retail use.
Third, making sure our fire department has the staffing and resources it needs — so our homes and businesses stay safe. We will carefully consider expanding our career/paid firefighters and increasing incentives to our volunteers.
And we’ll do it all while keeping our taxes low — because good governance means making hard choices and being smart in our spending.
I hope that I’ve earned our community’s support and people will make a plan to vote on Tuesday, November 4th, or by mail-in ballot. Together we can continue building a Montgomery Township that works — for all of us.
Your campaign website, social media pages, and/or anywhere else our readers can find you.
Website: https://www.monttwpdems.org/beth-staab
PELLETIER
Eric Pelletier (Submitted photo)Describe your background and qualifications for the position you are seeking.
I have been a proud resident of Montgomery Township for 22 years, raising my family here and actively serving the community in many capacities.
Professionally, I am a Clinical Associate Professor at Saint Joseph’s University and a former team leader at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where I managed teams of therapists and worked closely with colleagues across diverse settings. I have also served as President of the Faculty Senate at both the University of the Sciences and Saint Joseph’s University, representing over 400 faculty members during challenging mergers and transitions—experience that strengthened my leadership, consensus-building, and problem-solving skills.
I currently serve on the Planning and Budgeting Committee of Saint Joseph’s University, helping guide the institution’s financial planning.
Locally, I was elected to the Montgomery Township Board of Auditors in 2023, where I review township finances to ensure accountability and transparency. I have also served as Secretary and Committee Person for the Montgomery Township Democratic Committee, working to foster civic engagement and support candidates who reflect our community’s values.
In addition, I have coached youth baseball and soccer and served on the board of the Montgomery Township Baseball and Softball Association. These experiences highlight my commitment to public service, community building, and responsible leadership.
What are the biggest issues or concerns you hear from local residents? How would you address those?
The issues I hear most often include responsible development, fiscal accountability, and maintaining high-quality township services, especially public safety. Residents want growth that balances opportunity with sustainability—protecting open space and neighborhood character—while also having confidence that their tax dollars are spent wisely and transparently.
Addressing these concerns requires evidence-based decision-making and open communication. For example, when large projects such as fire department expansion are proposed, I have advocated for independent studies to ensure that decisions are guided by objective data and meet our community’s actual needs.
I also believe in strengthening community connection through investment in parks, recreation, and safe infrastructure, while pursuing strategic budgeting, grants, and partnerships to reduce the burden on taxpayers. My approach will always be collaborative: listening to residents, engaging with stakeholders, and ensuring decisions reflect both immediate priorities and long-term sustainability.
Your campaign website, social media pages, and/or anywhere else our readers can find you.
At this time, I am engaging with residents directly through community events, conversations, and outreach efforts. In the meantime, I welcome opportunities to connect in person, by email, or at township meetings to ensure open lines of communication.
Website: https://www.monttwpdems.org/eric-pelletier
DALE
John Dale (Submitted photo)Describe your background and qualifications for the position you are seeking.
My wife, Suzanne and I have been residents of the Township for 30 years and raised our four children here. My professional career was spent in the financial services/banking industry. I earned the CFA designation and was a Chief Financial Officer for a venture backed finance company and President for a leasing company owned by Firstrust Bank.
I also spent a large part of my career adjudicating credit facilities and reading credit documents for the parties that we lent to. I also spent six years on the Finance Committee at Montgomery Township. I am a proponent of zero-based budgeting and feel that it is important to justify spending based upon future needs rather than longevity of the line item. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and Economics from Penn State and an MS Degree in Management from the University of Maryland.
What are the biggest issues or concerns you hear from local residents? How would you address those?
One of the biggest concerns is the level of taxes that continue to increase in the Township.
With stagnant/shrinking revenues and increasing township costs, the current Board of Supervisors have shown a propensity to raise taxes (twice in the past five years and a proposal for a 1.4 mill increase for a full-time fire department in 2026). If we are going to increase expenditures, then we need to find other areas where government can become more efficient and reduce the level of taxation.
Secondly, the Supervisors have to generate proactive communications with the electorate regarding the Montgomery Mall. A revitalized mall will generate revenues and potentially increase the housing supply. I would like to build consensus around the future of the Mall and would call for the formation of a Citizens Committee for the Future of Montgomery Mall. A revitalized mall can bring revenues to the township and potentially create another town center.
With township consensus, the township manager could negotiate directly with the current owners to create a partnership that addresses the resident’s needs. Examples of current malls that have gone from eyesores to attractive destinations include the Exton and Moorestown malls.
Open space continues to be a hot topic among the voters. This can partially be addressed by using the Montgomery Mall space for housing (especially 55+) and other entertainment that residents of the township will benefit from. This would reduce the pressure to develop on current open space. The green space that the Township has left should be managed carefully and potentially be added to the township owned green space if funds can be set aside for acquisition.
One other hot topic that we often hear is the lack of communication with the Township residents. Much of the communication regarding minutes, annual financial statements and community updates are slow to come out and are often communicated through the web site.
A very small percentage of the community actually attends the monthly board meetings and the web site is a bit cumbersome for some voters to use. We would suggest more town halls and the formation of ad hoc committees such as the proposed Future of Montgomery Mall committee that would get more people involved.
Your campaign website, social media pages, and/or anywhere else our readers can find you.
Website: www.mtrcnow.com
FEDELE
Steve Fedele (Submitted photo)Describe your background and qualifications for the position you are seeking.
35 year township resident; 40 years experience with small, big, and multinational business; opened the first US owned business at Lloyds of London; In-depth financial analysis for Insurance, Telecommunications, and Recording Industries. BS in Economics from St. Joseph’s University; MBA in Finance for the University of Pittsburgh; MS in Applied Statistics from Villanova University.
What are the biggest issues or concerns you hear from local residents? How would you address those?
Township overspending and its impact on taxes is the primary concern of voters. The township needs to be managed with a goal of keeping this area affordable for those that already live here, and not pricing people out of their homes by constantly increasing taxes. Also, what little “open space” needs to be saved and empty warehouses should be repurposed to eliminate creeping blight.
Your campaign website, social media pages, and/or anywhere else our readers can find you.
Facebook: Montgomery Township Republican Committee.
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