Lower Paxton Township residents should demand an end to secret meetings and back-room deals | Opinion

(PennLive.com on March 20, 2025)

By Lower Paxton Township Supervisor Pamela Thompson

To my surprise, and delight, Lower Paxton Township residents have begun showing up for the Township Board of Supervisors meetings, demanding answers and involvement. Increasingly, more and more residents are also watching the meetings on YouTube and reaching out to me with comments.

More people need to show up, especially at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 20 for the special election to replace Robin Lindsey, who recently resigned. Lindsey alleged the township manager disrespected her authority and she got little support from her Republican male colleagues on the board of supervisors.

A little over a year ago when I was first elected and sworn in to the Board of Supervisors, participation was very low. The room was nearly empty. But that has slowly changed. What has sparked the recent interest in board meetings? In my opinion: Exasperation.

As a mature African American woman, I bring a perspective to governance this township sorely needs. Most of all, I believe in being logical, accurate, and fair in serving the public.

A week ago, State Rep. Justin Fleming attended our Board of Supervisors meeting and challenged us to do better, because dysfunctional government has real life consequences. Despite Fleming’s admonitions, it was business as usual for the predominantly white male Republican board because old habits die hard.

Plans were crafted that evening to conduct business behind closed doors and ignore public voices demanding transparency in selecting Lindsey’s replacement on the board. One candidate even came to a recent meeting expecting to be sworn into the office, apparently after making a deal in a secret meeting. She even brought a robed judge to swear her in.

I cannot in good conscience condone the secretive, back-door dealings that now mark township governance. I am sounding the alarm for residents of Lower Paxton Township, urging them to demand transparency from their board of supervisors.

When the board meets Thursday, the Republican supervisors will already have met outside of public scrutiny to make their choice on whom to put into the vacant seat. As the only Democratic supervisor, I have been left in the dark. But the issue is not whether I am in the dark, but whether secretive meetings are what the residents of Lower Paxton Township expect and deserve.

I encourage Lower Paxton Township residents to keep showing up for meetings and asking questions about how your elected public servants are carrying out their duties. If you don’t, it will be business as usual for the good ole boy network that doesn’t respect your right to open meetings, transparency, and public scrutiny.