October 31-Twelfth Precinct (Pinehurst)

I saw many nice houses and great scenery while walking in Pinehurst today.

October 30- Tenth Precinct

It was a bit rainy, but a good day to talk to people a swell.  I don’t think I ever stood under 581 before.  This was a new road for me.

October 23-Twelfth Precinct

The fall foliage has started showing through with beauty. We still have road work left to do and I need to work on my basketball game.

October 16-First and Eleventh Precincts

I toured the construction behind Salem Park Circle and caught a rainbow in Mountain View Village Apartments.

October 10-Pumpkin Festival

I went to visit the Pumpkin Festival and meet some friends from Hampden.

October 10-Tenth Precinct

I made it back to another development in the tenth precinct today.  We have some really nice looking houses in Hampden.  I also shared some thoughts about the state of politics in our country.

October 9-Tenth Precinct

I made it to a few doors and had some good conversation when I went to Fairwinds and Turnberry today.  I talked to a retired educator about some of the challenges in our community.  We both recognize the challenges of our schools and were able to discuss ideas for improvement without mention of any political parties.  We also discussed my perspective on the need to improve township communication while working to expand the number of people involved in conversations which will lead to decisions shaping our community for 20-30 years in the future.  

I didn’t get to see much of the yard sale as I also spent unanticipated time shopping with one of my girls for Homecoming after I got home from the Walking Out of Darkness on City Island.

September 25-Third Precinct (Point Ridge Farms)

Spending lots of time in Hampden 3 this week for multiple reasons and talking/chatting with lots of people on both sides of the 4444 Carlisle Pike Parking Lot Proposal issue.  At least three “discoveries” for me.  I learned that PNC has a parking deck, didn’t know of Point Park, and “found” another Little Library.

There are issues like the potential of spot zoning, water runoff, street safety, and property rights that have been discussed that I want to hear more about when the proposal is presented in a public meeting.  I plan to be at the township meeting to hear what is discussed about these topics and to hear what specifics are discussed related to the law when it comes to rezoning a property that connects to a business, but exists in a residential development.  In general, I believe in maintaining the integrity of existing residential communities as we develop businesses in our community.  Right now, the discussion indicates it is only these two properties, with no intent to gain a new entrance (fencing, barriers, etc.), but I know there is concern that plan (if approved) would change in the future.  I will also be interested to see what, if any, waivers are requested with this project.  Discussion on this topic is found here.

September 18-Third Precinct (Point Ridge Farms)

I am hearing that the owners of 4444 Carlisle Pike are trying to buy property on Reeser Road (Point Ridge Farms) and to have the zoning changed so they can expand parking.  I have not seen official plans, but I know residents in Point Ridge are more than concerned and are getting organized to attend the September 30 Board of Commissioners’ meeting to share their concerns during public comment.

While I want to support businesses and like walking places, I also want established developments to maintain their residential feel (they are already dealing with apartments getting constructed behind Hampden Terminal).  

I am also concerned about what this would do for storm water runoff as well as traffic on the Pike and through the neighborhood.  

What issues am I missing?  Please feel free to email me..

September 5-City Island and Harrisburg

I crossed the river today to accept the invitation of a family friend to  attend the powwow that is part of Kipona.  I sought permission before posting the photos of the native dances.  The first photo is of Aztec dancers; the second was to honor United States military veterans. The third is of a family treasure who defended our country and now celebrates his heritage while tending the fire.  I appreciated the opportunity to participate in the friendship dance that all were welcome to join.  Following those photos are some from Harrisburg including a COVID clinic and our state capitol.  I don’t know the singer in the final photo, but her voice was great and her courage to share was awesome.

September 4-Fifth Precinct (Brambles West)

Brambles West is looking better than I anticipated, but I am still concerned about emergency vehicle access, entry from the Carlisle Pike, and lack of a secondary road for use by the future residents.  I hope my fears prove to be unfounded.   Property maintenance by the neighboring business needs some help with their sidrwalk.

Here are some “historical” pictures from May 2021 and September 2019.

September 3 - Cumberland Valley Football

When my kids go to the games, I enjoy helping Cumberland Valley Marching Band Parents run the Fry Wagon.  I started in 2019 when my son played JV.  I went back today for the first time since COVID.

September 1-Fourth and Seventh Precincts (Hurricane Ida visits Pine Brook and Conodoquinet Youth Park)

Rain doesn’t usually stop me from walking and I certainly got wet, but going out in Ida created some interesting sights.  Blocked storm drains can cause problems, so I stopped to clear this one as I walked through Pine Brook.  I do not think I have ever seen the gates open at the Conodoguinet Youth Park before.  I presume that was done to create an emergency exit for those who live next to the creek.

August 28-Tenth Precinct (Fairwinds)

Great day to meet people on Inverness.  Topics ranged from musical preference and swimming attire, to minimum wage and trash contracts.  To be clear, I am not looking to raise taxes; I am however looking to discuss township operations as we lose green space.  It is time to look at the township’s Comprehensive Plan to see if it is working the way we want it to as we Plant Hampden’s Future.  

Another topic that came up was trash removal.  I  don’t think it is fair for a widow(er) to pay as much for trash removal as a family of five (like mine).  Unlimited trash removal is great, but there is no incentive (at the local level) to recycle.  Before the current trash removal contract expires, we need to have a community conversation about how we want to handle our trash.

August 21-Ninth Precinct (Indian Creek)

Great night outside discussing Cumberland Road, traffic, Brambles, construction waivers, Wanda’s, storm water run-off, and even a little Wertzville as I worked to describe what I mean by Planting Hampden’s Future.

August 14-Third Precinct (Elks)

I met Elroy the Elk, who fights underage drinking, during my visit to Lodge 2257 West Shore Elks.  I also saw family fun and opportunities with Scouts, Hampden Fire, the Drug Search Team and more.

August 6 - Family Fun at Creekview Park

It was great to meet new friends and to see old friends who have been in isolation due to the pandemic.  One of my former students even stopped by to say hi.

July 31 - Tenth Precinct

I had a great tour around Hampden’s Bunker Hills today.  The camaraderie, stories, and views were great, but I can only imagine pulling out onto Lamb’s Gap from Locust Lane when school buses are on the move.  Of course, Lamb’s Gap is a state road, so we need the state’s help to fix any issues.

July 29 - Fourth Precinct

I made a quick trip to Hampden 4 and found another Little Library.  I enjoy seeing all the little libraries in our community.  Should we be pushing for our own big library or are there enough local ones in the region?

July 24-Elventh Precinct

Colleen Gray Nguyen (candidate for PA House of Representatives) joined my 1,500 mile relay on July 24.  We had good conversations with neighbors on both sides of the aisle.  Trash removal, parking, taxes, and fees were all part of the discussion.  

Did you know Hampden’s trash cans are to be placed back on the curb when Waste Management empties them?  If your cans aren’t returned properly, please let the township know or let me know your address and I will pass on your concern.

July 10-Third Precinct

The Conodoguinet Youth Park is a great place to meet new people and celebrate friendships.  We had the opportunity to spend some time together today as we told stories and prepared to plant the future.  The township has a number of great parks and walkways that we need to need to maintain and improve for future generations.  

Continued efforts are needed to increase walkability throughout the township, building on the efforts of those who came before us.

July 3-Eleventh Precinct

I stayed close to home today by visiting the block party on Horsham Drive.  It was good to see people in person celebrating family and friendship and I was thankful for the invite.  Between visits from Tinker Bell and Moana, castle construction, face painting, super slide, a bracket for cornhole, and downpours it was fun to visit and chat.

June 23-Eighth and Ninth Precincts

A big thank you to Hampden Township staff and to Daybreak Church for the public private partnership that made the new walkway connecting Orr’s Bridge Road (between Dartmoor and Golfview) to Creekview Road (coming out near Creekview Park North) possible.   The path follows the creek and the sewer lines in the middle of a patch of nature.  Hopefully, we will all keep it clean (aka no litter) and won’t disrupt the privacy of the neighbors along side the walkway. #HampdenWorkingforUS Here is a link to other walkways in the township.

June 19-First and Eleventh Precincts

In the morning (and night before) I had the opportunity to see the Hampden Ducks host their first meet in the Duck Pond (Hampden Pool) since 2019. #QuackQuack Then in the afternoon I spent time introducing myself to residents in Hampden 11.

June 7-Eleventh and Twelfth Precinct

Traveling north of Wertzville on foot is great as long as the lights are working. Moving along Wertzville on foot is tricky.  It was a good day for a run.  Well I call it a run, but my girls call it a slow jog.

June 3-Tenth Precinct

I visited Crosscreek for the first time today and discovered a walking path I  didn’t know about.  I also had the chance to talk to a family who was installing new lighting in their flower bed before helping a neighbor with her flowers.

May 31-Tenth Precinct

It was a great day to visit Creekview Park.

May 15-First and Second Precints

I spent some time in Hampden 1 and 2 talking to Melanie Little about her campaign for school board. We spent time talking about student electives, school construction, the need for future planning, leadership, and more.

In talking to one self described independent voter, it was obvious that people are using the term Critical Race Theory (CRT) with different meanings.  Some use the term to mean schools are teaching kids that whites are bad.  Others use the term when referring to an analysis of laws/practices to determine if/how a program impacts people differently based on their race.  Given my day job, I try to avoid CV politics, but I do not shy away from believing that we need to listen to people to understand where they are coming, listening well enough to understand the meaning behind their words.  Lack of understanding and/or intentional subversion of meaning contributes to many of the challenges we have in state/national politics.

I am running to represent the entire community and want to listen to all sides on issues which come before the Board of Commissioners.

May 8-Fourth Precinct

It was a nice day to explore the winding roads and beautiful landscapes of Hampden four.  I was hoping to find someone grilling and score a burger, but it didn’t work out that way.

May 1-Third and Tenth Precincts with a trip to CVHS

Taxi service for track practice and a new teen job gave me the opportunity to explore multiple areas of our community.  It was good to see active civic engagement by our high school students.

April 24-Fourth Precinct

The Hampden Democratic Club cleaned up the Conodoguinet Creek Bluebell Trail located just off of Orr’s Bridge.  Far more trash was removed than I anticipated.   We didn’t have the ability to remove the discarded construction materials: concrete blocks, chunks of cement, and even a large drain pipe are still there.

April 10-First Precinct

Parenting responsibilities have recently given me more time to visit Hampden’s First Precinct.  It is good to see support for diversity and compassion for others throughout our community.

April 10-Sixth Precinct

A few of us spent time cleaning up Lamb’s Gap Road.  Some items appeared to be accidental litter.  Others, unfortunately, appeared to have been left behind on purpose.  I was pleased to have help from friends in cleaning up.  Thank you to Hampden staff for providing safety gear and trash bag pickup. #HampdenWorkingforUS.

April 4-First Precinct

I had the opportunity to walk Salem Church Road and saw the difficulties with truck traffic.  There are small signs and no opportunities to turn around.  Perhaps enhanced signage, a speed table, and/or physical barriers could help.  I also toured the construction area and some of the residential community.

March 27-First and Fifth Precinct Boundary

Sometimes the relay is about walking and talking.  Today, it was about #WorkinginHampden to make things better.  Thank you to Charles Bridger for hosting the Great American Clean-up on the Carlisle Pike.  We made great progress in about an hour.  Hopefully, there will be more people at the next event.  I am looking for volunteers to help with a clean-up on Lamb’s Gap Road on April 10.  

March 25-Seventh Precinct with a view of Fourth

I was walking in Hampden 7 and looking across the Conodoquinet into Hampden 4.  I also misread the clouds and got caught in the rain before talking to people in Hampden 8 on my way back home.  We talked local issues and pandemic reaction with respect and compassion, even as we know we have different political backgrounds.  I run from the middle, with friends on all sides of political spectrum.

March 20-Seventh Precinct

I live in Hampden 11, but I spend hours walking in Hampden 7.  Let’s schedule some time to walk in your neighborhood.

March 19-Fifth Precinct

I have learned a lot about township approvals, waiver requests, and community development since I started running in 2019.  Walking the township is helping me see how different areas of our community are connected better than I am able to do by looking at a map.  If you are interested in learning more about Brambles West click here.

March 13-Sixth Precinct

I received a tour of Hampden 6 near Lamb’s Gap from a local expert.  It was a great “spring” day.

February 28-Seventh Precinct

I regularly enjoy walking in Pine Brook and took a detour by the pumping station today.  You may have heard, I spent several years on Jackson Township’s Sewer Authority when I lived in York County.

February 28-First Precinct

It was not a good time for walking, but I did still get to see some of Hampden 1 with geese.

February 27-Sixth Precinct

While walking in Hampden 6, we discussed developments, taxes, (tax exempt status), increasing fees, and more. I also took a brief solo tour in Hampden 5 as well.

February 15-Eighth Precinct

I was pleased to find this pathway between Silverbrook and Ridgeland.  It even has one of the only bike lanes I have seen so far. We are a community of increasing diversity and support for BLMinHampden is growing.

February 13-Second Precinct

It is important I continue to learn about our township. Today, I discovered three offices I didn’t know we provided with a home in Hampden.  

I was a member of PSEA when I taught at Susquehanna Township and West York Area School Districts. While at West York, I served as building rep for some time.  As the son of two former teachers I know my life growing up (or now as an administrator) would not be the same without the work of our education associations.

February 7-Fifth Precinct

Here is the future site of Brambles West.  The development was approved in 2019.  Here is a link to pictures taken near that time.

February 6-Eleventh Precinct

There are many developments in the eleventh precinct on Orr’s Bridge and Mountain View Roads.  I like meeting new people, but Cumberland Valley School District is struggling to keep up with the growing demand for a growing student population. Commissioners and Board members need to communicate and work together for the benefit of the entire community. Let’s talk sometime about how the interplay between township funding and school district funding works. Today’s construction approval might be tomorrow’s school tax increase or large class size.

February 5-First Precinct

I had a short visit out in Hampden 1 today; Dad duties happened faster than planned and I had to cut my tour short.  When it is warmer, I look to go back for conversation.

January 31-Eighth and Ninth Precincts

I knew Daybreak Church had paved their section of the walkway (Thank you very much) off of Orr’s Bridge Road and I know the township plans to extend the path to Creekview, but I did not realize work on clearing the path had already been done.  That, or snow and footprints helped open my eyes as I experienced a little bit of nature today.

January 30-Ninth Precinct

I am curious about the idea of putting a walking path on the edge of the golf course (near Golfview) and I am also curious about the idea of putting steps from the road to the golf course (near Bellows) to allow people to walk on the cart path after hours.  I don’t want to damage the golf course or have someone hit with an errant ball, but it would increase walkability, by making it safer to walk around Armitage and Pinebrook.  The sidewalk ends right at the golf course, so pedestrian either need to turn around or go out into the road.

January 24-Fifth Precinct

At the January 7, 2021, BOC meeting the Point at Sporting Hill’s Preliminary Land Development Plan received approval with conditions.  This housing complex is planned with 39 units (28 one bedroom, 4 two bedroom, 7 three bedroom), with sidewalks on Cumberland and Sporting Hill.  Pictures from the current site are below.

January 22-Eighth and Ninth Precincts

I decided to explore the trail near Sears Run Rd, between Orr’s Bridge Road and Brookdale Grandon Farm.

January 17-Fifth and Sixth Precincts

Today’s tour started at the former middle school and moved into the sites of Good Hope Farms.   After walking through Good Hope Farms, the tour continued through Good Hope Farms South. Photos from my morning walk in Good Hope Farms and Good Hope Farms South.  There is so much to see on foot that is easy to miss when driving by.

January 9–Tenth Precinct

Today’s exploration of Hampden 10 included a tour of Hampden Heights and conversation about the need for enhanced township communication with improved transparency.

January 2—Twelfth Precinct

I was privileged to have some new friends join the first leg of my Hampden 1500 Relay in the 12th precinct. Thank you for the invitation. Positive comments about living in the township were shared, but concerns about increasing traffic and the potential of backup on Wertzville when Penn State Hampden opens were also discussed.