My answers to an elected official's request to know how to make Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania a better place to live

 Your board wasted many millions and raised taxes on an enhanced flood  control system promoted by an alarmist who commits fraud, takes bribes from contractors and threatens your  home owners ruining their peace of mind.

The tragedy is that Montgomery County is suffering from the worst drought in its 241 year history.   The 3000 trees (at a cost of well over $3,000,000) that I have planted on my 4 properties (soon to be 5) have to be irrigated at a cost to me of over $6000 a month for 7 months a year.  Of course this is my passion so I am happy to spend the money.  But my heart breaks when the severe heat in July and August kills my masterpiece specimens no matter how much water is applied.

Flood control?  Our precious township would be less damaged if you had believed that "chicken little" had convinced you that the sky was falling.   Your board has been played by an abusive crook.

So Miles Tannenbaum and Harold G Schaeffer are the true fathers of the prosperity that has allowed this poor judgement to be afforded. 

The creators of the King of Prussia Mall provided you with a firehose of cash to now be able to run the best township in America.  They should be recognized and celebrated.  They were close personal friends of mine and it amazes me that they have been forgotten.

And now to what really will be remembered - in 1971 my father was appointed by Governor Milton Shapp to prepare for the bicentennial with an International World's Fair in Philadelphia.  He failed because Frank Rizzo, the Mayor, did not want land to be cleared his voters lived on and  Haldeman and Ehrilichman, Nixon's henchmen, did not want the money for this celebration to go to a Governor who was a Democrat.  So it was spread equally to all 50 states and Philadelphia was deserted on July 4, 1976 except for a fireworks display in the evening.   When I drove into the city that afternoon, the Schuylkill Expressway had no traffic!

Are you going to fail like my father did on the 250th anniversary?  I have spent $2,300,000 magnificently restoring Washington's Headquarters for ten days in December of 1777.   It is available for any use you wish.   It is easily the finest 18th century home in Montgomery County.   What are you going to do?

And lastly, the integrity of employees like Mark Zadroga should be celebrated more.   Were it now for his calming influence, I would have sold my properties and left.  Thank you Mark.

Thank you

Graham Arader

1000 Boxwood Court, Gulph Mills, PA, 19406.