Letter to the Editor:

For some of the residents of East Nottingham Township who were present at the Aug. 13 township meeting, it was clear that Jane Ladley, a Republican committee woman and supervisor, along with gun-totting Republican supervisor John P. Coldiron gave a stellar performance on governmental intimidation.

After speaking with residents and reviewing the full-length video of this circus act, it is perfectly clear that Ladley’s actions were a premeditated, malicious attempt to silence the residents of Wyndham Creek from speaking out about the board’s mishandling of their community’s issue.

As some of you may already know, Ladley is now being sued for her malicious act by the attorney of one of the residents who allegedly was slandered. Ladley has requested that the township's Insurance Company (Pa Intergovernmental Risk Management Association) represent her in this lawsuit. After receiving a copy of the township’s liability policy, it is clear that a township supervisor should not be covered for a malicious act. Township residents paid $ 22,139.00 for the insurance policy to cover the township and should not be responsible for the covering such a maliciously arrogant act by a supervisor. Residents who are concerned with how the townships insurance carrier is going to handle this lawsuit can contact them at H. A. Thomson Company, 961 Pottstown Pike, Chester Springs, PA 19425, by telephone at 800-362-1011 or through their website at www.hathomson.com. Township residents should not have to pay out additional premiums for the malicious actions of its elected officials.

In addition to this malicious act the township has blocked access to the written statement that Ladley read into the record. She twice stated publicly that she had a statement to read during the meeting. The statement was also put into the draft copy of the minutes but was removed prior to the approval of the minutes at the direction of the township solicitor. The township is claiming that the statement was “notes and working papers prepared by a public official used solely for that official’s personal use.” If this statement was for Ladley’s personal use then why are the township taxpayers being asked to foot the bill to defend her for this malicious act? It would appear that by denying this records request, Ladley is making the case for the township insurance company not to defend her in this matter.

This is not the first time that Coldiron and Ladley have resorted to slanderous conduct and used other people’s money to pay for it. During the time that Ladley was campaigning for supervisor, she paid to circulate a letter in the township accusing the board of giving $600,000 to a convicted Puppy mill owner. This letter was paid for by LKB for Good Government. This was Ladley's campaign finance committee that received donations from supporters. The fact is that statement was a slanderous misrepresentation of the facts that John P. Coldiron wrote and Ladley paid to circulate. When Ladley was informed of the issue as being untrue she was given an opportunity to correct the record and apologize for her conduct. To date she has refused to do so.

Members of the East Nottingham Township

Citizens for Open and Honest Government