A historic day of bipartisan rule in Delco
Tuesday was a day of firsts at the Delaware County Courthouse. Two-party government arrived in Delaware County.
Democrats Kevin Madden and Brian Zidek took the oath of office and were sworn in as members of Delaware County Council.
They are the first Democrats to sit on the county’s ruling body since the Home Rule Charter was adopted back in the mid-70’s, in effect ending mandatory minority party representation.
And it wasn’t just Council that saw a shakeup.
Three new county row officers also were sworn in. All three were Democrats. That would include new county Sheriff Jerry Sanders, thus becoming the first African-American to hold a county row office.
Madden and Zidek led the charge in the November election, when Democrats finally put their newfound voter registration edge to work and muscled their way past incumbent Republican County Councilman Dave White and his running mate, longtime Magisterial District Judge John Perfetti.
It did not take long for something else to happen Tuesday that also could be considered fairly historic.
The new County Council took its first vote – and the result was not unanimous.
For years Council has routinely voted 5-0 – with all five Republican members in lockstep.
During its brief reorganization meeting, Council elected new leaders.
But the vote was not unanimous.
Incumbent Councilman John McBlain was named the new chairman, and Colleen Morrone vice chairman. But on a 3-2 vote.
You have to go back to Andy Lewis arguing against the county bond issue to build that soccer stadium in Chester to find the last time a no vote was cast by what for decades has been the all-Republican Council.
Madden questioned why Morrone, who had been serving as vice chairman, was not elevated to the top spot.
Both he and Zidek voted against the nominations.
Duly noted. But what should not be lost is the sense of bipartisanship that filled the air in the courthouse. That has not always been the case, when Republicans ruled and Democrats peered in from the outside.
A new era has arrived in Delaware County government. Democrats now have a seat at the table.
Yes, Republicans still retain a 3-2 edge, but even they referenced a sense of cooperation on this historic day.
Madden took note of the new mood in his remarks.
“I believe it a call-to-action moment that requires all of us to step up and more,” Madden said. “I think it’s fairly clear at this point that we can’t take our democracy for granted.
“As Delaware County arrives at this new era of bipartisanship, we have an extraordinary opportunity. Times of change create opening for new perspective. This is an opportunity to build together a model for how government can function, putting public service over party … We’re being sworn in to serve not as representatives of one party, but to serve every resident of the county, regardless of zip code or party registration.”
Some might refer to that as a challenge to decades of all-Republican rule. But we would remind the newest members of County Council that it could equally apply to them. They are not there merely to “even the score” for Democrats and get their share of the county’s largesse.
They are there to serve the people.
It was a sentiment shared by both sides. Democrats made a point of mentioning their Republican colleagues’ graciousness in welcoming them to power and helping them get acclimated to their new offices.
It is something Delaware County likely should get acclimated to as well.
That was something raised by Democratic Party Chairman David Landau.
“There will be no turning back,” Landau said. “Democrats are in the county government to stay. I think it’s going to be a new day for county government especially as the sun shines in.”
The numbers don’t lie. Democrats have reversed decades of lopsided voter registration numbers that always tilted the election field of play to Republicans.
No longer. Democrats are now the majority party in the county. And that gap is likely to grow, a sign of a changing demographic in the county.
It’s not the only thing that’s changed.
Two-party government is now the rule in Delco.
We wish both sides good luck in this new bipartisan spirit of leadership.
That would be historic indeed.