Is Chalfont a civic group
or a three-ring circus?

By Lauren Fritsky
Times Staff Writer

What was supposed to be the first meeting of the Chalfont Civic Association instead turned into a politically charged sparring match among attendees.
The Feb. 27 meeting took place at Faith Lutheran Church, at 4150 Woodhaven Road. Shawn Dillon, one of the Democratic leaders of the 66th Ward, orchestrated the gathering to "get the ball rolling" on developing a more involved community body.
"A few months back people had come to me and asked if it was a good idea to get this started up," Dillon told the room. "This is for the community, and I hope that’s why we’re all here."
But residents expressed concern when Dillon began announcing pre-appointed members of the civic board. Dillon himself will not serve as a board member.
Several board members from the Millbrook Civic Association, which residents say has met irregularly in the last few years, attended the meeting. Brian Peters, who used the occasion to announce that he no longer was president of the Millbrook group, took the floor and gave his blessings to a new organization.
"I kind of got elected by default," Peters said, referring to his tenure as Millbrook president. "It wasn’t something I set out to do, that I wanted to do."
In recent years, Millbrook met mostly to fight the construction of a Commerce Bank on the southwest corner of Knights and Woodhaven roads.
Despite the civic’s opposition to the bank proposal, Commerce filed an application with the city for a zoning variance. The issue developed into a two-year court battle, during which Commerce fought Millbrook for the right to build the branch. The bank eventually won in a Commonwealth Court appeal.
Though residents questioned how frequently Millbrook has met since the case ended several years ago, Carol Fowler, the group’s vice president and a staff member in the office of state Rep. Dennis O’Brien (R-169th dist.), produced a sign-in sheet showing a meeting as recent February 2006.
Dillon said he wasn’t trying to separate the civic groups, but wanted one that met actively and served the community.
"I’m not doing something behind anybody’s back," he said. "I’m trying to do what’s best for the community."
The room’s volume rose yet again when Sean McAleer, Democratic candidate for the 10th Councilmanic District, walked to the front of the room to speak while someone else handed out his campaign literature.
"What is this?" asked one resident. "It’s supposed to be a civic meeting."
Shouting erupted between several residents, including one unidentified man standing in the back of the room who alleged that "the Republicans" had appealed to the group’s corresponding secretary, Rosemary Bartlett, to stop the formation of the new civic group.
Bill Rapone, legislative aide to City Councilman Brian O’Neill, McAleer’s opponent in the upcoming election, called the charge "hearsay."
"She hasn’t been undermined. She’s been in touch with our office," Rapone said.
O’Brien, who recently was selected as House speaker, briefly sat in on the meeting and then left without taking the floor. Mike Erdos, a judicial candidate for Common Pleas Court, attended and gave a campaign speech.
In the end, it was decided that there would be no Chalfont Civic Association and that the group would exist instead as the Millbrook Civic Association. Millbrook will, however, keep the board members appointed by Dillon until May, when an election will take place and residents can nominate replacements.
For now, those board members are: president Annamarie Feeney, district representative for U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-13th dist.); vice president Tony Marciante, who owns Bladz hair salon; treasurer Joe Fox, a Democratic committeeman for the 66th Ward; secretary Diane Dillon Marciante, Shawn Dillon’s former sister-in-law; and corresponding secretary Rosemary Bartlett.
The Times later discovered that a private meeting took place between Dillon and O’Brien, during which they discussed the direction of the Millbrook civic group, including potential changes to its current board.
The duo confirmed that they had met. O’Brien declined comment on the details, other than that he was "working with all the parties involved to facilitate what is best for the area." ••
The Millbrook Civic Association next meets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 27, at Faith Lutheran Church, 4150 Woodhaven Road.
Reporter Lauren Fritsky can be reached at 215-354-3038 or lfritsky@phillynews.com