![]() ![]() ![]() “The way the police force is – you call them, they come. “I feel so much safer being here,” she said. They say what is needed or ask me about what is needed in a similar vain,” she said.Ī vital part of the community, and one she stands to ardently support as mayor, is the borough’s police department.īefore moving to Collingdale 10 years ago with her husband, Alfred, and their six children, Coffee was living in the heart of North Philadelphia until gun violence drove them out to the much-safer Philadelphia suburb. “That’s what helps me get to know the community. She may not have direct volunteer experience in borough organizations as Munro and Ciavarelli have, but with her non-profit organization, The Empowerment Zone, she helps serve the community by providing access to an emergency food cupboard, feeding seniors citizens in need and hosting a number of teen mentoring groups. “Prior experience definitely helps,” admitted Coffee, “but the passion and drive that runs behind me is what I think I bring to the table. I’ve never heard of someone coming in right for the top job.”Ĭoffee, who is an elected committee member of the borough’s Democratic Party, has yet to hold public office. “They’ve (current elected officials) given much of their life to volunteer work in the borough. “My thing is when you apply for a job you start at the bottom and work your way up,” she said. Munro said she does not have a problem with Coffee or Democrats running for elected positions in the borough because “this is their right,” but she feels that more involvement with the borough is needed before coming for the top job. We have more candidates, enthusiasm on our side.”Ĭoffee “prayfully believes” that borough Democrats will come out in November to give their support for these municipal races. “We have strong dedicated public servants stepping forward and they understand they need to be part of their government. I believe that is the trend that’s happening now. “People are choosing more diverse and modern candidates. “If you look back over the last 10 years you’ll see many that have been controlled by Republicans that have flipped,” said Guiney. In Delaware County the blue wave of Democratic victories in Republican-led municipalities has come across Delaware County since 2017, and it will look to expand its reach into Collingdale come November with what is projected to be a full slate of candidates for Collingdale’s elected offices. But when presidential or mid-term elections come around, Democrats score over twice as many votes as Republicans – President Donald Trump scored 1,000 votes to Democrat Hillary Clinton’s 2,500 in 2016. “For the time I have been in office we’ve run this town pretty well.”Ī review of election returns for every year since 2009, Republicans have run unopposed in the municipal races with each candidate chalking up approximately 700 votes a piece in the open races. “Anyone that comes with us with a problem, we solve it,” she said. She said a one-party rule on government does not discriminate against the problems of its citizens. It’s time to allow for a little bit more diversity to take place because it’s not diverse.”īorough Council President Kathleen Munro, a 35-year member of council and neighbor to Coffee, recognizes that the borough is diverse by way of race, religious affiliation and other identifiers. “I don’t have an issue with the mayor or council, but everything is changing and they’re not changing with (it),” said Coffee. Census estimates the 2017 population of Collingdale’s 8,800 residents split evenly between white and black/African American. Collingdale is becoming more and more diverse, so I just want to represent everyone.” “I wanted to run for mayor because everyone deserves a voice here in Collingdale,” said Coffee. He may run in a special election this November to fill the remaining two years of the four-year term Kelly won in the 2017 municipal election and had started serving in January 2018.Īs Republicans continue their stronghold on the mayor’s office and borough council, Democrats are looking to find their seat at the table starting with Felecia Coffee.Ĭoffee, 46, has officially announced her bid to run for mayor in this year’s special election, breaking the door down for a potential shift in power in the borough and for the representation of African Americans in the local governing body. Republican Councilman Joseph Ciavarelli was appointed to the position at a special December meeting of Collingdale Borough Council and will serve iuntil the first Monday of 2020. ![]() COLLINGDALE – With the death of Mayor Frank Kelly in November, Collingdale has had its first new mayor in a half-century. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |