The Retrospect Response

I've been a Haddonfield resident for 25 years and am proud to be raising three children here -- with one at Drexel, one at Rowan, and one at St. Joseph's Prep. I serve as your Borough Commissioner of Revenue and Finance & Administration, and I also oversee Recreation, the Senior Citizen Commission, and the Municipal Alliance.

Professionally, I'm an executive director at the Wharton School, focused on teaching and learning technology. I hold a degree in Quantitative Business Analysis from Penn State. I previously served three terms on the Haddonfield Board of Education and was president of the Haddonfield Civic Association.

My number one priority is restoring public trust in local government -- and I believe that starts with transparency. Over the last five months as Commissioner, I've taken real steps to open up our process: ensuring meeting recordings are posted quickly, sharing summaries on social media, and holding open office hours every Monday morning from 7 to 9 a.m. I've worked to make sure meeting minutes are timely and complete, and I'm partnering with our CFO to reimagine how we present a user-friendly borough budget.

I've also made it clear that our professionals must show up and speak directly to the public -- and when our cell tower consultant couldn't, I moved to table the discussion rather than move forward in the dark. I believe in moving at a pace that allows for input and openness -- not rushing big decisions without hearing from the people they affect.

Looking ahead, one of our biggest challenges will be transitioning from long-serving administrators who've been central to borough operations for decades. At Wharton, where I've worked for 22 years, succession planning is second nature -- and I'll bring that same mindset to Haddonfield. Our government is only as strong as the professionals we hire and retain.

With the right people in place, we can continue major initiatives: redeveloping Crows Woods into the athletic and recreation hub our town deserves, overseeing the Woodmont project responsibly, and meeting our affordable housing obligations in a way that reflects the needs and character of our community. 

I ran for Commissioner to be a voice for transparency, inclusion, and common sense. That work is underway -- and with your support, I'm ready to keep going.


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  • David Siedell