New leaders to run the
Fox Chase Homeowners Association

By William Kenny
Times Staff Writer

The leadership of the Fox Chase Homeowners Association is changing, but the organization’s controversial stance on the planned expansion of the Fox Chase Cancer Center doesn’t seem to be changing one bit.
Longtime association president Craig Turner announced at the civic group’s general meeting on Nov. 14 that he and vice president Betty Vogler plan to step down at the end of the year. The organization’s executive board has approved local residents Matt Braden and Jerry Rocks for the president and vice president positions, Turner said. They are expected to take office in time for the group’s next scheduled meeting in January.
Meanwhile, at last week’s meeting, Turner rebuffed demands by some residents for a vote on the cancer center expansion issue in advance of next week’s pivotal City Council hearings on the subject.
Braden and Rocks first expressed interest in leading the homeowners group last summer, Turner said. Although the group isn’t scheduled to hold its next elections until September 2009, Turner believes that the time is right for a change.
"Both of them have been involved in the community for years now," Turner said. "They’re raring to go and have a lot of energy. We had an executive board meeting and everybody is comfortable with what they want to do."
Turner, a real estate agent by profession, has been president of the homeowners group since shortly after its founding in the early 1990s. In that time, he has routinely been unopposed in elections every two years. In recent years, he has openly discussed his willingness to step down if a serious candidate for the job would come forward.
Braden and Rocks both have proved their commitment to preserving the character of the neighborhood and ability to get the job done, Turner said. Braden recently took a leading role in getting the city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections to investigate a suspected illegal massage parlor on Rhawn Street. Meanwhile, Rocks has led efforts to have certain smoking products commonly linked to drug use banned from local stores.
Both Braden and Rocks work in the District Attorney’s Office, Braden as a member of the DA’s executive staff and Rocks as a detective.
"My hope is that both myself and Betty stay on (as members) here," said Turner. "I thought I’ve done some good things (as president). This is just handing the ball off to two more energetic people."
Braden assured residents that he and Rocks plan to continue to fight problems in the neighborhood like illegal businesses.
"That’s what I’m about," he said. "There’s not an agenda. I’m not trying to advance anything (but) preserving the Fox Chase community."
In response to the announcement, resident Jean Gavin complained that the organization failed to follow Robert’s Rules of Order in appointing the new officers.
Turner responded that the association has always used a more "relaxed" process and that no one else had expressed an interest in the job, anyway.
Terry Devlin, director of development for the local human-services agency Counseling Or Referral Services (CORA), initiated a round of applause to recognize Turner’s many years of service to the civic group.
The good vibes didn’t last long, as the outgoing president came under fire for recommending that the homeowners group not take a formal position on the Fox Chase Cancer Center project.
Turner argued that the issue had the potential to splinter the civic group and jeopardize the other work it does for local residents on issues such as local zoning.
While cancer center expansion opponents are vocal, they are largely residents of the immediate area around the hospital. Folks living in other parts of Fox Chase may have very different views on the project, Turner said.
The president encouraged opponents to express their feelings at a Nov. 26 City Council hearing on the project. Council’s Rules Committee will consider two bills introduced by Councilman Brian O’Neill to lease a 19-acre portion of Burholme Park to the cancer center and to change the zoning on that land.
Some residents argued that it is the responsibility of the civic group to represent them on the issue. They called for an unannounced community vote on the entire expansion project.
"What annoys me is you never get a chance to voice your opinion, and the idea that we don’t get to vote on this is another slap in the face," one man said. "I would ask the new president and vice president not to allow this stuff to go on at Burholme Park and not to push it aside."
Jean Miller, recording secretary of the homeowners group, noted that a formal vote could only include registered members of the civic group, while many of dozens of people at the meeting were not dues-paying members.
"This is what happens. A hot issue comes up and everybody’s here. Then we won’t see you again," Miller said. "And I don’t feel that it’s fair that nobody (in the community) was aware that there (might be) some kind of vote going on." ••
Reporter William Kenny can be reached at 215-354-3031 or bkenny@phillynews.com