Bird Town Chadds Ford isn’t flying away yet

Been following the Bird Town saga in Chadds Ford? This nonsense is for the birds. 🦅 But to keep everyone up to speed, let’s fly through a little update and discuss why it’s never too late to make your voice heard. 📣 While this issue is partially about Bird Town, it’s really a reflection on how some of our elected officials exhibit a lack of transparency and accountability toward their constituents.

Quick Bird Town recap

tl:dr; The Chadds Ford community overwhelmingly supports Bird Town, and one (maybe two?) of our supervisors is blocking it for reasons that remain unclear.

🐦 Let’s dive into the details, so you can judge for yourself and don’t have to take my word for it.

How we got here

After Chadds Ford Township expressed interest in Bird Town in a monthly newsletter in the summer of 2025, a handful of volunteers and appointed members of the Chadds Ford Open Space Committee embraced the idea. They began rounding up more information and a group of interested volunteers in hopes of establishing a Bird Town chapter in Chadds Ford. For more details on how all that came to fruition, you can check out the first article about Bird Town Chadds Ford, as well as the follow-up from the public meeting when it was discussed.

Since that public meeting discussion

Without informing the public, the township supervisors quietly decided in March to forego Bird Town (at least for now) despite:

• More than 120 Chadds Ford residents signing a Letter of Support for Bird Town
• Enthusiastic backing from the Chadds Ford Open Space Committee
• A willing corps of volunteers ready to do the heavy lifting
• Many community members expressing public support in township meetings
• Zero public opposition

Regarding the decision, the township offered no public vote, no public announcement, and no explanation until Chadds Ford resident Anna Marcotte specifically emailed to ask for an update.

Because a little twist is always big fun, Anna recently noted that Chadds Ford Township’s own social media page promoted a bird box-building event hosted by Concord Township’s Bird Town program in collaboration with the Rachel Kohl Community Library.

I’m glad they’re sharing this information with neighbors. But as Anna put it, “Seems ironic that Chadds Ford Township is promoting another township’s Bird Town activity. Doesn’t make sense to me that they refuse to join but market neighboring programs.” 🤔

The Board is apparently comfortable sending residents to participate in a neighboring township’s Bird Town programming. They just don’t want to offer it here. Make that make sense.

What is Bird Town?

If you’re not familiar with the organization, Bird Town PA is a statewide, non-partisan program that provides municipalities with free or near-free resources — programming ideas, educational materials, connections to a broader volunteer network, and access to grants worth up to $10,000 for member townships — to support bird habitat conservation and community engagement. The cost to join is roughly $100 with no required follow-up costs. The programming burden falls almost entirely on volunteers (including the Open Space Committee), not township staff.

It is, by almost any measure, a slam dunk for a community like Chadds Ford, a township with deep roots in conservation, open space preservation, and environmental stewardship. And yet, our township leadership says it’s too controversial and inconsistent with township priorities.

🤔 Why is it too controversial, you ask? Join the club. That’s the question literally everyone is asking…

Bird Town Chadds Ford timeline

Bird Town has taken a long and winding path through township bureaucracy. Here’s how we got to where we are today:

• Summer 2025: Township administration first publicly floated the idea of exploring Bird Town as a possibility for Chadds Ford in its monthly newsletter.
• August 2025: Anna Marcotte, Girl Scout Troop Leader and mother of Emma Marcotte — a Chadds Ford Girl Scout at Unionville High School — read with great interest the Township’s newsletter about a Bird Town PA opportunity. Emma, who had just started the Bird Club at Unionville High School, saw an opportunity to bring Bird Town to Chadds Ford as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project.
• Summer through Winter 2025: The Chadds Ford Open Space Committee spent several months gathering information about Bird Town, fielding questions from supervisors, and hosting a meeting with the head of Bird Town PA. The Open Space Committee enthusiastically endorsed the program, noting that it aligns squarely with their mission and with Chadds Ford’s long-standing values around conservation and sustainability.
• February 25, 2026, Board of Supervisors Meeting: The Open Space Committee formally presented Bird Town to the Board and was surprised by the reception of their proposal. Supervisor Trigg appeared to reject the idea outright during the discussion. Supervisor Goodier offered limited substantive feedback, saying she needed more time to review the information. Supervisor Reiner appeared supportive. Despite Trigg’s evident skepticism, the Board minutes record that “the Board indicated that additional review and discussion would occur prior to any formal action.” That review and discussion never came… at least not publicly.
• March through May 2026: Bird Town disappeared from township meeting agendas. Residents continued to show up at public meetings and offer supportive comments during the open comment period, even when Bird Town wasn’t on the agenda. Not a single resident offered public opposition. Not one.
• Spring 2026: Emma Marcotte collected more than 150 signatures on her Letter of Support for Bird Town Chadds Ford, of which more than 120 were Chadds Ford residents.
• May 5, 2026: After months of silence from the township, Anna Marcotte emailed to request an update on where things stood.
• May 6, 2026: Township Manager Lacey Faber responded to let Anna know that “the Board determined that they did not wish to pursue the formal Bird Town designation.”
• May 7, 2026: Anna followed up, asking why the decision had never been communicated publicly, given the overwhelming resident support and the complete absence of any opposition.
• May 8, 2026: Faber responded with an explanation that raised as many questions as it answered, including the Board of Supervisors’ latest stated reasons for denying neighborhood volunteers the opportunity to implement the community program (more on that in a minute).

In short, the Board of Supervisors decided behind closed doors not to move forward with Bird Town and chose not to share this decision with the public or with the volunteers who they knew were seeking an answer. That’s the opposite of transparency.

Lack of transparency and accountability

The substance of the reasons for preventing approval warrants scrutiny in its own right (we’ll get to that). But the communication timeline alone is problematic.

Two months after the decision was made, Marcotte got an answer via email, only because she reached out to ask. A community of advocates acting in good faith to support a wholesome community program invested months of time and energy working through questions and discussing details, and the Board of Supervisors couldn’t offer the decency of a public announcement about or a basis for their decision.

There’s also an accountability problem. The community asked that the matter be placed on the agenda for formal discussion and a recorded vote; however, the Board of Supervisors repeatedly ignored that request. The Board minutes from February stated that “additional review and discussion would occur prior to any formal action.” No such discussion occurred — at least not in public, where residents could hear it, respond to it, or hold their elected officials accountable.

Elected officials are not required by law to explain every decision they make. But the absence of a legal obligation is not the same as the absence of a responsibility. These are our neighbors. Chadds Ford is a community of fewer than 4,000 people. The residents who advocated for Bird Town deserved — at minimum — the basic courtesy of being told that a decision had been made and the reason for it. Instead, they got silence, followed by circular reasoning delivered via email only after Bird Town advocates pressed for it.

Accountability means being willing to stand publicly behind the decisions you make on behalf of the people who elected you, especially when those people disagree. With respect to Bird Town, the Board has declined to do that. If there’s solid reasoning for the decision, what’s to fear sharing that rationale with their constituents? Independent of where you stand on Bird Town, the lack of transparency and accountability on this matter is concerning.

Board’s Bird Town opposition doesn’t hold water

Faber’s May 8 email, referred to above, outlined the Board’s apparent reasoning for refusing to support Bird Town. She noted the Board of Supervisors’ reasons as follows:

1. “A preference to support conservation and educational initiatives locally without entering into a formal statewide designation program.”

This is the central argument, and it’s incredibly weak. Bird Town doesn’t prevent the township from taking any local action, nor does it commit the township to any specific actions it deems untenable. The township has yet to communicate any reasons they don’t like Bird Town that aren’t easily refutable with common sense. (I discussed a bunch of them here.)

Bird Town supplements local efforts with pre-developed educational and community programming resources (why reinvent the wheel?!), potential access to financial grants, and a statewide network of other Bird Town volunteers with whom our local volunteers can collaborate and share ideas.

Over the last year, the township has reached out to many nearby municipalities that already have Bird Town chapters to inquire about their experience with the program. The responses have been entirely positive. Consistently, feedback has been that Bird Town is a positive addition to the community programming, offering opportunities for natural resource advocacy that cost next to nothing and are appreciated by residents. It’s that simple.

2. “Questions regarding long-term expectations, reporting, and oversight associated with participation.”

All of these concerns have been clearly and repeatedly addressed and mitigated by the Open Space Committee and Bird Town advocates in public meetings and in private conversations.

• Bird Town resolutions do not require legislation or ordinances and are non-binding. The township can terminate the Bird Town designation at any time at no cost or burden to the township.
• The Open Space Committee explicitly offered to handle the annual reporting requirements so that township staff would bear no meaningful administrative burden.
• The Open Space Committee will oversee volunteers to eliminate any burden on staff or supervisors and mitigate the risk of township volunteers serving as direct liaisons with an outside organization on behalf of the township. Worth noting: the township already uses this model when volunteers help with summer reading programs, educational trail walks, the annual Easter egg hunt, and pumpkin-decorating events.

3. “A desire to pursue similar goals.”

Are we serious?! We don’t want to do something because we have “a desire to pursue similar goals.” That’s gibberish. The Board’s stated reason for not doing Bird Town is that they want to do what Bird Town does, just without Bird Town. Are you confused yet? Samesies. 🙄

Bird Town already exists. The resources are already built. The volunteers are ready to run it. What are we waiting for?

Contradictions among township initiatives

It’s worth pausing to consider what the township has no trouble committing to in the long term or financially. The annual letter from the Board of Supervisors, which arrived with residents’ tax bills this past spring, outlined upcoming priorities, including:

• trail construction
• a comprehensive plan update
• an open space plan update
• ongoing sustainability programming, and
• ordinance modernization to address data centers.

Every single one of those is a long-term commitment. Several are explicitly conservation-adjacent. One literally uses the word “sustainability.”

Regarding township spending, on May 27, the Board of Supervisors approved applying for a “small grant” (according to Supervisor Trigg) from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The grant would be used to prepare a nomination for Archie’s Corner to be added to the National Register of Historic Places.

While a noble cause, the grant requires a match from the township. So the Board of Supervisors approved (in a 3-0 vote) spending up to $7,500 in township tax dollars for that nomination effort.

Yet Bird Town — a $100 program to supplement the Open Space Committee and Chadds Ford Township priorities for natural resource preservation, while offering an opportunity to build community with resident volunteers — is somehow a bridge too far.

💭 If $7,500 is considered “small,” how might we describe $100?

These are small examples, but they reflect broader patterns and are consistent with the dissonance of suggesting that Bird Town is not aligned with township priorities.

Where do each of the supervisors stand on Bird Town?

The public meeting discussion suggested that the supervisors aren’t necessarily aligned on Bird Town. Instead of lumping them together, I reached out to each supervisor directly for comment to better understand their nuanced perspectives. Here is what each said:

Supervisor Timotha Trigg said she was too busy to provide a comment on Bird Town. She’s been the most (if not only) vocal opponent at public meetings.

Supervisor Kathleen Goodier responded:

“Regarding Bird Town, I do not have additional comments beyond what has already been discussed publicly and reflected in the meeting record. As noted, the Board’s discussion centered on whether participation in the Bird Town program is the appropriate fit for the Township at this time, rather than any disagreement with conservation or educational goals generally. At present, there is not consensus to move the matter forward.”

In public meetings, Goodier has offered minimal information to suggest a strong position either way. I’m not sure what constitutes an “appropriate fit” when the township wants to “pursue similar goals.”

Supervisor Sam Reiner responded:

“As for Bird Town, I was generally in support of the effort to educate our residents to the benefits of protecting bird habitats and the conservation awareness the program seemed to be opening up to us all. I expected there to be further public discussion on the matter at the board level and have suggested the township consider adopting a one-year resolution of support in order to test the waters, so to speak.”

What to make of their responses

Read those responses carefully. Reiner is not just passively supportive; she proposed a specific, low-risk path forward: a one-year trial resolution. If Bird Town works, great. If it doesn’t, the resolution expires, and the township walks away with no strings attached.

Trigg has been the most vocal opponent of Bird Town since the February meeting and declined to engage here. But note that there’s no public opposition to Bird Town, so Trigg’s opposition appears to be personal.

While we’re all entitled to our personal opinions, her role as an elected official is to represent those who elected her. If her personal interests conflict with public consensus in a way that prevents her from voting as a representative of her constituents, she ought to recuse herself from the matter.

Goodier’s response is more opaque, but notably, she didn’t say she opposes Bird Town — she said there isn’t “consensus.”

But… and this is really important, because it’s the foundation of democracy… the Board doesn’t need consensus. It needs two votes. Democracy is more “majority rules” than “one person can unilaterally overrule the consensus.” It was specifically designed to avoid the tyranny of the minority. Reiner’s vote is already there. Goodier voting yes would pass the resolution 2-1 (or maybe 2-0 if Trigg recuses herself).

I’m left to wonder… does Goodier genuinely oppose a one-year trial, or is she deferring to Trigg on a matter where she might otherwise vote differently? Heck, she mentioned at the May 27, 2026, Board of Supervisors meeting that she attended the “Brunch and Birds” event hosted at Brinton Run Preserve by the Birding Club of Delaware County in early May. She seems into birds, right? (That’s a good thing!) I hope she’s willing to cast her own vote, independent of what her fellow supervisors believe.

Will it “look bad” if there isn’t a consensus? Does that matter? We have three supervisors, so they can represent us from three different perspectives and cast three votes. I hope our elected officials vote based on what they believe is best for the community and their constituents, not on what would prevent their fellow supervisors from “looking bad.”

Chadds Friends… If voting against Bird Town makes you “look bad”… maybe that says something about voting against Bird Town.

But they’re so busy…

Some of the supervisors have pushed back on Bird Town because they’re too busy with other matters to consider another controversial one right now. This is such a silly retort!

They’re correct that there are many pressing issues right now. Calvary Chapel litigation (details here and here) and the Shoppes at Concord development pose particular challenges. The data center ordinance update felt urgent, but is now complete.

But Bird Town could be such an easy yes.

• There’s no public opposition other than Supervisor Trigg, so she’s making it controversial (I’m still confused by this). Literally no one else in the community has taken issue with it.
• The township solicitor, Mike Maddren, confirmed that he has written Bird Town resolutions for other townships, so it’s essentially a quick “copy-paste-find-replace” to prepare a resolution for a vote at a public meeting. Anna Marcotte even shared a sample resolution passed in Newlin Township that gives the Supervisors the opportunity to reject any Bird Town activity they disagree with (see the last clause on the Newlin Township resolution here).
• Volunteers, under supervision from an enthusiastic Open Space Committee, have offered to do all the legwork to get it up and running.
• It costs $100. We’re not breaking the bank here, Chadds Friends. Remember that $7,500 is “small” according to Trigg.

If they want less on their plate, a quick “Sure, bro. Go nuts.” would take it off their plate and be a boon to the community. This is such an easy win! 💛

What You Can Do

Bird Town has not been formally voted down in a public meeting. The Board made a quiet internal decision and hoped the issue would fade. It hasn’t, and it shouldn’t.

If you believe a Bird Town chapter makes sense for Chadds Ford and would like to see our willing neighbors have access to the great resources Bird Town PA offers, let our Board of Supervisors know you support bringing Bird Town to our town.

Attend a Board of Supervisors meeting, share a public comment

If you’re able, consider attending a Board of Supervisors meeting and offering public comment. You don’t need to be a polished speaker. You don’t need to prepare remarks. You just need to show up and say, clearly and on the record, that you support Bird Town. Let them know you expect your elected representatives to explain publicly why they won’t even put it to a vote.

Some people have already shown up several times to express their support. Supervisors notice when the same community members keep coming back. They notice even more when new neighbors show up and speak.

The next Board of Supervisors meeting is Wednesday, June 10, at the township building (10 Ring Rd). Public comment is open to all residents. You can attend in person or via Zoom. Check out the township website for more information on upcoming meetings, including links to participate via Zoom.

Send a letter/email to support Bird Town

If you’re not available to attend a Board of Supervisors meeting but would still like your voice to be heard, send the Supervisors an email or a snail mail letter. I’ve included some really basic language below that you can use to offer support for Bird Town at public comment or via an email/letter to the township. Modify the template to make it your own and put it in your own voice.

Your voice can make a big difference, especially at the local level, where few people are taking action! A quick email or brief public comment goes a long way to let our township leader know what residents want for our community.

Although some of our township leadership seem to hope Bird Town will fade into the sunset, Bird Town hasn’t flown the coop yet. But it’s going to take the community showing up to make sure it doesn’t.

Template for public comment/letter of support

Public comment in support of Bird Town (template)

“My name is [Name], and I live at [address] in Chadds Ford. I’m here to express my support for Bird Town and would like that support reflected on the record. This is a low-cost, volunteer-run program with overwhelming community support. [Add in any personal reasons you would like to see a Bird Town chapter in Chadds Ford.] I’m asking the Board to place Bird Town on the agenda for a formal public discussion and to pass a resolution in support of Bird Town, so that resident volunteers wishing to access this program’s resources can bring them to bear in our community.”

Email to support Bird Town (template)

Subject: Please Support Bird Town Chadds Ford

Dear Supervisors Trigg, Goodier, and Reiner,

I’m writing as a Chadds Ford resident to express my support for Bird Town and to ask the Board to reconsider its decision not to pursue the program.

Bird Town is nonpartisan, nearly cost-free, volunteer-run, and aligns directly with the township’s stated values around conservation and open space. More than 120 residents have signed a Letter of Support. Not one resident has publicly opposed it.

I’m asking the Board to place Bird Town on the agenda for a formal public discussion and to pass a resolution in support of Bird Town, so that resident volunteers wishing to access this program’s resources can bring them to bear in our community.

Thank you for your time and service to Chadds Ford.

[Name] [Address]

Township Supervisor email addresses

• Ms. Timotha Trigg, Chair (Term 2029), [email protected] 
• Ms. Kathleen Goodier, Vice Chair (Term 2031), [email protected] 
• Ms. Samantha Reiner, Supervisor (Term 2027), [email protected]  

Contact information obtained from the township website here.

🐦 I’m rooting for us! 🦅