IMPORTANT: We are taking Cheltenham Township to Appellate Court—Help us fund the legal fight!
Dear Neighbors and Supporters,
Today might have been the last day of swimming ever at historic, beloved, verdant Conklin Pool. What the Cheltenham Board of Commissioners would like to be the last season for this Cheltenham gem concluded today at 5 o'clock.
Over 680 of you stood up to demand transparency and public bidding when Cheltenham Township executed a $4.5 million no-bid "ground lease" for the Melrose Pool project. Even after the citizen-led Planning Commission recommended denying the development application over a range of substantive concerns (including inadequate parking for the tiny planned pool), the Board of Commissioners and developer have continued to move forward without an open public process.
We are not backing down. We are taking this fight to the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania.
Where the Legal Fight Stands Now
To level the playing field against the township's and developer's lawyers, I have retained Chris McCabe of Charlson Braber McCabe & Denmark, PC. Chris brings to the table over 30 years of specialized experience in Pennsylvania municipal law and competitive bidding litigation.
Together, we are taking immediate action:
Commonwealth Court Appeal & Hearing: Chris will represent us through the full appellate process, arguing before the Commonwealth Court to hold the Township accountable to its Home Rule Charter and public bidding laws.
Emergency Injunction: We are seeking an emergency injunction to halt site disturbance and preserve public land while the appellate court reviews the case.
Right-To-Know Appeals: I am personally pursuing state-level open records appeals to expose the undisclosed internal communications behind this deal.
How You Can Help Us Win
Taking a municipality to appellate court requires real financial resources. We have launched a dedicated legal fund to cover attorney and court filing fees.
If every person who signed this petition contributes just $25, we will hit our $15,000 legal target immediately. If people share the fundraiser with their network, it shouldn't take long at all.
👉 Donate to the Legal Defense Fund Here: https://gofund.me/678c9ba52
(Note: 100% of donations are held in a dedicated account strictly for legal representation and filing fees. From there they will be transferred to Any remaining funds at the conclusion of litigation will be donated to Cheltenham Township Parks & Recreation programming.)
Two Quick Actions You Can Take Today:
Donate what you can ($10, $25, or $50 makes a huge difference) on our GoFundMe page.
Share the campaign link on Nextdoor, Facebook, and via email with your Cheltenham neighbors and broader network who might like to support our fight.
Standing up for open government and public trust isn't easy, but what happens here in Cheltenham matters. Thank you for standing with us to protect residents and taxpayers!
In solidarity,
Sam Thacker
Cheltenham Resident & Taxpayer