Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Jane Laslo retires after 40 years as township manager
EAST MARLBOROUGH >> She’s been able to keep taxes in check, help to preserve land as open space and even helped to bring public sewers to historic Unionville. But one thing Jane Laslo wishes she could have done was to bring bikeways to the township.
Laslo is retiring as township manager in early September after 40 years. When she started, the population of the township was only 2,500 with just two subdivisions, Cedarcroft and Union Square. The population of the township has more than doubled since then.
“In her 40 years, she served as principal protector of the character of the community,” said Cuyler Walker, former chairman of East Marlborough supervisors. “We are all better off for that. She
has really been dedicated to making East Marlborough a better community.”
Laslo began her career as a reporter covering municipal meetings and school board meetings for the Daily Local News, which gave her some familiarity about how government worked. She taught briefly at Unionville High School. The township facilities were at a small garage (now Last Chance Garage) in Unionville with a dirt floor, not running water and no bathroom facilities.
“When I started, I didn’t realize it would be such a long commitment,” Laslo said.
One of her first accomplishments was to get a traffic signal at the intersection of routes 82 and 926, about 30 years ago.
“I remember one woman came to the meeting and asked if she had to strip down naked and go to the middle of the intersection to get some attention,” Laslo said. “There were a lot of passions over that (issue).”
And when Willowdale Crossing development was built, she worked with the state to get dedicated turn lanes at that intersection.
Through the years, there have been many other accomplishments. Laslo has worked to make the township better — a spray irrigation system, bringing public sewer to historic Unionville which was on a cesspool system and helping to make the roundabout at Route 82 and Doe Run Road possible. But she said her greatest defeat was not bringing an organized bikeway system to the township.
“My greatest loss despite my best effort is that I have not been able to make any headway in getting bikeways built in the township,” she said. “It’s something that is really needed. We as a nation need more physical activity. Obesity is a huge problem. I grew up in an area where I could bike everywhere. I used to be able to bike to West Chester years ago. Bicyclists still use Route 842, but that is very dangerous.”
A few years ago, Laslo headed up a plan that would have bikeways constructed on Route 82, both sides, from Landhope at Route 926 all the way to the roundabout, with two islands for crossing. She said because it would go right by the high school and the middle school, it would promote safety.
She worked with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission on the bikeway project, but because it was being funded in part by federal dollars, it turned into a
boondoggle. Right-of-way acquisitions were needed, and environmental and impact studies needed to be conducted.
“This was going to be a $2 million project to put bikeways on both sides of the road,” she said. “I bet with private dollars, it could have been done for $50,000, maybe $100,000 at most. All you are doing is grading it and putting in concrete and relocating a
couple of utility poles.”
Laslo said she is extremely pleased with the township’s public works department and the work they have over the years. They do such a good job removing snow from roads, she said many of the residents bring them cookies or soup.
“I have to say working with the road crew has made my job so pleasurable,” she said. “I have been blessed to work with great boards (of supervisors) over the years that make it a pleasure. Eddie (Caudill) has worked for 42 years on the roads and is still on the board and he is such a wealth of information for us. And Buzz Hannum, Cuyler Walker, Bob Weir, Buzz Sr. all have an active love to serve here and protect the community.”
And the new Unionville Community Park, which is entering its second phase, began under her tenure. In 2001, the township acquired a 20.55-acre farm in the middle of Unionville to
protect the parcel from being developed with an incompatible land use.
Laslo said she worked hard to keep taxes low for East Marlborough property owners.
The township’s $2.2 million budget this year has a tax rate of 1.05 mills. The library tax is 0.183 of a mill ($121,164), the open space tax is 0.2 of a mill ($132,420), and the fire tax is 0.75 of a mill ($511,000).
“Except for the increase of a fire tax, we have maintained the same millage for the past 20 years, maybe longer,” Laslo said. “Plus, we have no earned income tax, as most municipalities do these days.”
Laslo, who was born in upstate Pennsylvania and moved to New York when she was 2, has three children, two daughters in Colorado (and two grandchildren there with one on the way) and a son who lives in West Chester. She said she will continue to live in the area.
“My friends are here, my
life is here,” she said. “It’s difficult to follow one’s children around the globe. My son says they are the ones that left, and you stayed here, so stay here.”
But when she visits them in Colorado, she plans to get in some skiing.
Laurie Prysock, who has worked part time with Laslo for the past two years, will be the next township manager.
“This job is about putting up with personalities and serving the public,” Laslo said. “At times, I have gotten furious with people’s requests. But by and large, the people of East Marlborough are good, solid folks, and once they understand why something is the way it is, they back off.”
And her dream of one day having bikeways in East Marlborough?
“I am convinced that public finance of bikeways will be very, very difficult given the restraints and regulations,” she said. “Private finance would be easier.”