Catherine Kernen: Accomplishing Goals through 'I work to accomplish my goals through 'Exhibiting a Spirit of Cooperation'

Why she is the best candidate for a borough council seat:
In my pharmaceutical career, I have held executive level and management positions in both the US and internationally. I have more than 35 years’ experience in the fields of marketing, communications and PR. I have also been active during the last 19 years with the Borough and the region. I served two previous terms as a Councilwoman in 2004-2005 and 1998–2000. I am a past member of the Central Perkiomen Valley Regional Planning Commission and a current board member of the Collegeville Main Street Program. Since early 2010, I have overseen the Main Street’s Farmers’ Market Committee and spearheaded the development and oversee the running of the Collegeville Farmers’ Market.

Collegeville’s most important issues
We are fortunate in Collegeville to have a well-run borough and an outstanding police department. The borough is also currently developed out, so our development issues are minor. The biggest issue facing us is the decline of both Collegeville and Trappe’s commercial districts. We need to attract new anchor stores, as well as mom-and-pop niche businesses that will make the Collegeville commercial district a destination for shoppers where they can buy unique products that strongly appeal to their interests. We also need more good restaurants.  
Secondly, we have many young families in the Borough, and they tell us that they would like more activities for themselves and the kids. We need to encourage healthy lifestyles, and build a sense of community to make living in Collegeville “a special place.” We need to take advantage of our sidewalks and our walkable community. This summer when the Farmers’ Market opened, so many families left their cars at home and walked to the market, pushing strollers and walking their dogs. Currently, thanks to the Main Street program, the Borough, and the Rotary Club, our families are offered a number of excellent events. I would like to work with some of my Council colleagues along with Moms, Dads and kids to explore what other great events we can offer our families and then work to make it happen.  

On revitalization
A good amount of work has already been done for the Borough. We are fortunate to have a blueprint for revitalization due to the Main Street’s excellent market research results and the very visionary revitalization plan for our commercial district from the Montgomery County Planning Department, which was spearheaded by Andrea Baptiste. My personal vision is to help move those plans forward through the Main Street Program and the Borough, all the while keeping in mind who our residents and shoppers are so that we fulfill their personal visions for the town. 
Before I started the Farmers’ Market, my committee distributed and tallied the results of 500 surveys of residents and Ursinus faculty, staff and students.  Our customers’ responses confirmed that our audience wanted a farmers’ market, would shop on a regular basis, and they told us what they wanted to buy. They created the vision, and we made their vision a reality. When we opened our market April 30, they came, with more than 750 people attending. And they have continued to show their support for our vendors throughout the summer.
The method I use to bring goals closer to reality is to apply the action plan model I used in my career--to start with the data, write a strategic plan with a timeline, form a committee of enthusiastic volunteers who are as passionate as I am about the project and then work with them to execute the plan.

On taxes
Unfortunately, the homeowners are the major funders of the borough -- there are no large businesses to help reduce taxes and the borough is built out. Also, the majority of our local and real estate tax burden is for school taxes. My goal as a councilwoman is to look for savings wherever possible in the current budget, and if it becomes imperative to fund a new budget item, to figure out a way to fund it through another revenue stream, such as grants, public-private partnerships, or donations.

What else would you like the voters to know before they go into the voting booth? I work to accomplish my goals through community teamwork, bipartisanship, listening to all and exhibiting a spirit of cooperation. If the voters have resonated with the goals I have outlined above, they should all come out on Nov. 8 vote for me and my colleague Andrea Baptiste. The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.