ICP Executive Director, Henry Rowan (left), accepts a facsimile of a $10,000 check from “Don’t Mall Plumstead” co-founders Vince Formica, Stacy Mulholland and Tish Birch. The ICP’s bank apparently does not share Henry’s sense of humor and refused to cash it.

The ICP is happy to announce that it has received a $10,000 grant on behalf of “Don’t Mall Plumstead” to help fight a proposed mega-center proposal in the semi-rural Central Bucks County, Pennsylvania municipality. With funds provided by the Partnership for Land Use Management (PLUM), the ICP will continue its research into the impact of big box retailers and provide support for area residents who are justifiably concerned about the impacts that the proposed 350,000 square foot facility would have on the community.

The ICP would like to thank Dave Mortimer and all of the board members of PLUM for their generous financial backing as well as Vince, Stacey and Tish for having the courage and conviction to work to protect their community. Please visit their website at http://www.dontmallplumstead.org/

For more information please see Issues of the Hour as well as our section on Big Box Retail under Sprawl in the Environmental Reference Center.

UPDATE

Two of Don’t Mall Plumstead co-founders, Vince Formica, Stacy Mulholland, were elected to Plumstead Township’s Board Supervisors by wide margins on November 4th. Both Vince and Stacey were considered underdogs and ran against heavily favored opponents endorsed by the Republican Party leadership. Environmentalist Housely Carr won the third available seat completing the sweep for the preservationists.

All three waged intensive door-to-door campaigns focusing on the potential problems associated with Plumstead’s proposed big-box megacenter and the need to preserve the rural nature of their community. The defeat of the endorsed Republican candidates was particularly bitter for party leaders who had orchestrated a referendum that increased the board from three to five members in an effort to wrest control from the current pro-preservation board. With the loss of all three seats, it is obvious that their plan went badly astray.

Plumstead residents should be commended for their ability to see past party politics and to vote for their own futures. We wish everyone in Plumstead the best of luck in their efforts to preserve a great community!