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PODCAST

Mack"s Newtown Voice

Mack"s Newtown Voice

I have been a resident of Newtown, PA since 1995. I am currently a member of the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors. The opinions expressed here are solely those of John Mack and do not represent the opinions of any other person or entity.

government

All Episodes

00:16:42

Mack's 2024 Newtown Township Governance Chronicle

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/11/29

Newtown Township Supervisor John Mack's "Board of Supervisors 2024 Chronicle" details numerous Board of Supervisors meetings throughout 2024, focusing heavily on controversial development proposals and amendments to the Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance (JMZO). Key land use issues include intense debate over the LI/O-LI Overlay District to permit high-density apartments, a contentious appeal by the Borscht Belt Deli regarding sign restrictions, and efforts to address "demolition by neglect" of

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00:12:24

Rocco's at The Brick: A Partnership's Bitter End

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/11/29

A 29 November 2025 NewtownNow.com article outlines the controversial and abrupt closure of Rocco’s at the Brick, an upscale restaurant located inside The Brick Hotel, stemming from escalating conflict between the operating tenants and the hotel owner, Verindar Kaur. The immediate point of failure was an alleged threat by Kaur to revoke the essential liquor license, which the restaurant’s management claims necessitated their immediate shutdown after Saturday service. However, Kaur publicly denied

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00:13:17

Opioid Funds For Police Surveillance Truck?

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/11/24

At the 25 November 2025 Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) public meeting, local officials will discuss using opioid settlement funds to help pay for a police “surveillance truck.” Some residents questioned whether this use aligns with the funds’ intended purpose—prevention, treatment, and recovery. Concerns included transparency, whether the purchase actually addresses opioid harm, and the need to prioritize community-based services. Supporters argued the vehicle could help investigate drug-related

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00:13:31

Local Sign Battles, Zoning & Town Character

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/11/20

Documents and audio recordings detail matters brought before the Newtown Township Planning Commission at its 18 November 2025 meeting. The Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) applications under consideration primarily concern zoning variances for local businesses. The most extensive discussion concerns a signage application for Melange on Sycamore, where the applicants sought approval for nine etched glass signs, a significant increase over the permitted two, which sparked considerable debate among the

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00:14:09

Newtown Sewage Plant Plan Terminated!

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/11/19

The sources provided for this podcast focus on the Newtown Bucks County Joint Municipal Authority (NBCJMA) board meeting held on 18 November 2025, detailing the proceedings, agenda items, and public discourse. The agenda confirms routine matters like approving minutes, reviewing finances, and receiving various reports (Engineer’s, Solicitor’s, Manager’s, and Field), while also highlighting the motion to terminate the authority's controversial plan to construct a wastewater treatment plant

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00:09:41

Parking Tickets Versus Transparency

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/11/18

The Newtown Gate Master Association, representing nearly 400 households and more than 800 residents, raised urgent concerns in a November 13, 2025 letter to supervisors following a sudden wave of parking tickets.The Newtown Gate HOA boards are seeking a collaborative path forward to address both the parking limitations and safety issues. They requested an immediate step to relieve the current hardship: a temporary moratorium on parking ticket enforcement along Fountain Farm Lane. They urge the

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00:12:07

Recap of the 12 November 2025 Newtown BOS Meeting

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/11/14

This podcast offers a detailed look into the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors meeting on November 12, 2025, through both pre-meeting notes and a transcript of the proceedings.The agenda highlights significant financial matters, including the payment of over half a million dollars in bills and the 2026 budget discussion, which features a proposed four-mill tax increase and concerns about underfunding road maintenance. A major point of contention during the meeting is the negotiation of a

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00:10:44

Signs, Windows, & Parking: Zoning Variances Requested

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/11/14

The 18 November 2025 Newtown Planning Commission agenda lists several items, including the approval of minutes and reports from various township committees, but specifically mentions five Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) matters, including one for Community Veterinary Partners at 228 N. Sycamore Street and another for Vecchia Osteria at 20A Richboro Road. The extensive documentation for Community Veterinary Partners reveals the applicant is seeking a special exception and multiple variances to convert a

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00:10:08

Taxpayers Force Fire Fee Increase

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/11/13

The source records a contentious Newtown Board of Supervisors meeting concerning a proposed fee for borough fire services. The central conflict revolves around the borough's contribution for fire protection, with many township residents, including speaker Eric Pomerantz, arguing that the suggested payment of $275,000 is unfairly low and forces the township to raise their own taxes via a millage increase. The residents and several supervisors maintain that the borough should pay at least $350,000, a

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00:11:53

Newtown Fire Rescue: The Pivot to Full Integration

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/11/08

The differences between the 2026 Fire Services Agreement and the 2020 Fire Services Agreement touch upon the duration of the agreement, organizational structure, funding specifics, operational requirements, and reporting details. To summarize the operational shift: the 2026 agreement reflects a more integrated and formalized structure ("Newtown Fire Rescue") that relies heavily on a unified "Operations Manual," while eliminating specific performance metrics (like response times and specific

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00:13:10

Surprising Truths Buried in Newtown's 2026 Budget

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/11/04

When a headline announces a local tax increase, it’s easy to feel a familiar sense of resignation. But what if the numbers on the page are only a fraction of the story? A recent "Meet Mack Monday" community meeting, hosted by Supervisor John Mack, pulled back the curtain on Newtown's 2026 draft budget. Beyond the expected figures, the discussion and subsequent Q&A revealed several surprising and impactful truths about how the township operates, where our tax dollars really go, and the quiet

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00:48:38

3 Nov 2025 Meet Mack Monday Discussion

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/11/04

Welcome to the November 3, 2025, Meet Mack Monday Zoom meeting discussion!I’m John Mack, your host and a Newtown Township Supervisor. The goal of Meet Mack Monday Zoom meetings is to inform residents of township issues that impact them and to get feedback and comments from residents about such issues. This helps me keep better informed of residents’ concerns when I vote on the issues at Board of Supervisors meetings. This meeting's discussion primarily focused on the controversial aspects of the

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00:12:25

Decoding Newtown Township's 2024 Audit

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/10/28

The financial statements of Newtown Township for the year ended December 31, 2024, were audited by the firm Maillie LLP. The findings and context of this audit are crucial for understanding the reliability of the financial data.The audit process identified risks of management override and improper revenue recognition for planning purposes and noted a material weakness in a separate communication to the Board of Supervisors. Specifically, the auditors noted that Newtown Township did not

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00:10:35

October 2025 v2 News of Interest

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/10/24

This "Deep Dive" podcast delves into the October 2025 v2 issue of the Newtown News of Interest newsletter , which provides an overview of local government news and controversies in Newtown, PA, primarily focusing on topics discussed at various Board of Supervisors meetings in late 2025.

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00:14:48

Fiscal Cliff and Lack of Transparency

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/10/23

The source provides a detailed transcript of a Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting held on October 22, 2025, primarily focusing on the 2026 budget presentation for the township. Key financial topics include projected revenues, a structural deficit in the general fund that is currently offset by fund balance but may require a future tax millage increase, and specific increases proposed for the fire protection fund and rescue squad fund. The meeting also features extensive public comment regarding

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00:12:44

Newtown Township Budget Crisis

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/10/23

The provided excerpts from the Newtown Township 2026 Proposed Manager’s Budget offer a comprehensive look at the municipality's financial planning and departmental operations. These documents outline the fund structure, detailing various governmental funds, their major revenue sources, and the services they provide, such as the General Fund supporting Public Safety and Public Works, and special revenue funds for fire and rescue services. Furthermore, the text gives an overview of departmental

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00:15:34

From Right Tree Species to Right Wall Sign Placement

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/10/22

The October 21, 2025, #NewtownPA Planning Commission meeting showcased how details define Newtown’s character—from the right tree species to the right wall sign direction. It’s easy to dismiss these sessions as technical, but in reality, they shape how our township looks, feels, and functions. The tone was cooperative, the debates civil, and the outcome pragmatic. If supervisors follow suit, residents can expect steady progress on both environmental stewardship and responsible redevelopment.

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00:14:05

2022 Newtown Borough Fire Protection "Fair Share"...

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/10/17

The provided source is the "Newtown Borough Fire Protection Study 2022," prepared by the Governor’s Center for Local Government Services in Pennsylvania to assess the fire service costs for Newtown Borough, Bucks County. This analysis was requested by the municipality to evaluate the cost of fire protection, which is currently provided through a symbiotic relationship with Newtown Township. The report examines the history and current structure of fire protection, noting that the service is delivered

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00:16:04

Fire Wars: Six Minutes vs. Seventeen Minutes

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/10/14

This "Deep Dive" podcast concerns ongoing negotiations between Newtown Borough and Newtown Township regarding a new intermunicipal agreement for fire protection services, as the current agreement is set to expire.

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00:13:08

The Six Year NAC Sign Saga

Mack"s Newtown Voice ·

2025/10/11

The provided documents detail a Variance Request (#1237-25) submitted to the Newtown Township Zoning Hearing Board by the Newtown Racquetball Association, operating as the Newtown Athletic Club (NAC), regarding an existing wall sign. The core issue is that the NAC installed an illuminated "NAC" wall sign in 2019 that violates existing zoning regulations concerning sign location, number of signs, and maximum allowed sign size. Specifically, the club seeks variances to allow the sign to remain in its

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232 results

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