Category: Bob Small

Why can’t Swarthmore hold onto a Borough Manager?

By Bob Small

When I began attending Swarthmore Borough Council meetings, my assumption was that Jane Billings and Swarthmore Borough Manager were synonymous.

She held the post from 1990 until 2022.

Though there were clashes between her and the public, she was known as a dedicated public servant.

She was succeeded by William Webb, who served from 2022 to September 2025, when he left to take a post in Virginia.

Sean Halbourn was next. He was fired in March 2026 by a unanimous Borough Council vote.

They then brought on David Unkovic, who only agreed to take the post until a permanent replacement could be found. He said he wanted to return to the placid shores of retirement.

Council said they would be conducting an extensive search for the next Borough Manager. After this extensive search, they selected Scarlett McHale who had been a Swarthmore Borough Council member.

She was voted in On July 6 with council also creatinga the post of assistant borough manager with Alex Ashcombe being appointed to it.

That comes to four Borough Managers in four years.

Media and Springfield are nearby municipalities.

The last two managers of Media were Jeffrey Smith who served from. to now

The last two Springfield managers are J. Lee Fulton who served from 2010-2024 and Steve Lucas who has served since 2024.

Media and Springfield are both more complex than Swarthmore, with many more businesses among other factors.

Great Britain has had six Prime Ministers since 2016 but that’s a slightly more difficult job than Borough Manager of Swarthmore.

Continuity at the borough manager level would seem to be desired but not attainable in Swarthmore.

Wonder what the odds are at Kalshi Prediction Marke for the longevity of our next one.

DSA vs Israel

By Bob Small

Two ideas can be true at the same time.

Israel has over-responded to Oct. 7.

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has over-responded to Israel’s over-response.

Though Mandani-supported candidates won in the New York City primary, Hailie Soifer, who is CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America says “I don’t think these same candidates could win anywhere else.”

And Rabbi Jonah Posner who directsReform Judaism’s Religion Action Center has stated “We reject the false choice between Jewish Safety and Palestinian dignity”.

Micah Lasher, who succeeded Mandani in the 12^th Congressional District, is for “Hamas out of GAZA and Netanyahu out of the Knesset” which seems reasonable.

In 1982, when Michael Harrington co-founded DSA, it was still the time of a collectivist Israel, with socialist tendencies.

Were Democratic Socialists of America Always Anti-Israel?

Now even AOC has received criticism for a vote reaffirming Israel’s right to exist.

Harrington and many other co-founders have left DSA due to what they see as anti-Semitism such as refusing to condemn the Oct. 7 atrocities.

Current DSA members may not have the frame of reference to understand why the 1982 DSA would ever support Israel.

Harrington said that certain pro-Israel positions were held by DSA as a matter of course; support for

Israel Boycott Backlash: ‘This Is Not the DSA I Founded’

A few years ago, the argument was whether DSA should support Boycott, Defense and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel. We recall it was used against South Africa Apartheid. Jo-Ann Mort, the author of this article, feels, “ There must be strong refutations against BDS that also defend Israel’s right to exist while clearly repudiating the occupation, continued settlement growth, and by calling for a Palestinian state. “

DSA was founded by the merging of two smaller groups, the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee and The New American Movement. This is a lengthy interview and well worth the listening and/or viewing.

In a similar situation in England in the 1980’s , Labor Leader, Neal Kinnock expelled members of leftist group “the Militant Tendency” from the party.

See also
Jewish Review journalist removed from DSA event

How Democratic Socialism Went Mainstream

Why we need real change in Swarthmore

By Bob Small

Swarthmore has many many problems. Some are recent but many are long standing.

All didn’t begin under the current council, but they’ve done nothing to fix it.

Let’s start the list.

EIT — Swarthmore Budget is talking about an EIT (Earned Income Tax). This becomes an extra tax, for those who are not exempt. They have not clarified why we need this.

Cunningham Field — Because Swarthmore College has a “magic money tree”, — not listed on most College maps — it regularly passes funds onto the Borough. The citizens adjacent to Cunningham Field is forcing the College to rethink plans regarding the field. Borough Council has stayed neutral on the subject.

Parking Apps — The Borough has recently introduced parking apps to replacethe coin operated parking meters. This was not announced at the June 8 meeting. There was not a written notice on this subject. We are being forced to use the Parking App, without there being any vote on this issue.

Business District-We now have three bookstores and various places to be served alcohol. Yet we are without a bank among other missing businesses,

Former PNC Bank Site — The former PNC bank stands as a monument to bad planning. Borough council knows what is happening but refuses to answer. It’s easier to find out what’s going on in the Pentagon than why construction has stopped at 31 S. Chester Road.

Little Crum Creek Park Bathroom — A $200,000 bathroom was built at Little Crum Creek Park without any great demand. Now we discover the problem with low water pressure that had to be fixed which required a pump operation. This will involve tax dollars also.

Food Scraps — Then there’s the Food Scraps composting project of which only about a quarter of the public participates. Again, wasted money, to the tune of $150,000. We discover that there are now legal issues and the waste is being driven to Pottstown (46m), rather than Linvilla Orchards.

We will note that almost all the Borough Council members, besides being Democratic, are not working class. The insights gained from working on a regular 40 hour, or more, job are missing. This is unusual in Delco government, but that may be who the College wants to deal with.

And what the College wants…..

We’re not even mentioning the questions of lack of process and problems with secrecy, etc. or the Borough Manager cycle.

Swarthmore 9 Go On Trial June 29

By Bob Small

Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators have been doing encampments at Swarthmore College. Specifically, they are targeting the Swarthmore Board of Managers and asking them to divest from Cisco which works with the Israeli military. The demonstrators, of course, have the right to“peacefully” protest. Only two of the Swarthmore nine are actually connected with the college with only one being a current student.

Their trial will be happening soon.

The matter stems from a May 3, 2025 incident which was broken up by some 30 police officers from several departments.

It would have been a great time for a bank job, one thinks.

On Aug. 19, the College Judiciary Committee suspended the Swarthmore student involved for the Fall Semester. .

There were almost 40 comments when I looked at the linked article, with alumnae coming down on both sides.

This case has been covered by MSN, among other national news sources.

There has begun the start of a nascent academic boycott with the looming trial.

Delco District Attorney Tanner Rouse has stated that all of the nine have been offered the opportunity to have the charge lowered to a summary offense, which would not require jail time.

As of this writing, all have refused.

The College cites increasing concern by members of the College community, which led them to feel “compelled to seek assistance from the Swarthmore Borough Police Department to end the encampment.”

The college denies that they can reduce the pending charges.

Cisco, by the way, is the world’s largest networking company and provides Swarthmore’s campus-wide VPN and cybersecurity infrastructure. This means it is installed on every single student, faculty, and staff member’s personal device.

Meanwhile, Swarthmore College President Val Smith praised Trump’s HB 1 Bill ”because it included $20 million for Swarthmore. “

As someone with a previous history of civil disobedience, for various causes and under various administrations, and who may yet return to this mode of protest, I always wanted to go to trial, to plead my cause, but never had the choice.

Full confession, the most is spent in jail was but a half a day. Hopefully, the “Swarthmore 9” will come to their senses and avoid taking up the jail cells needed for “real criminals”.

See also

DEMAND SWARTHMORE DROP CHARGES FOR THE SWAT 9