Middletown Voters Have a Choice This Fall

For the first time in a long time, voters have a choice in the when entering the polls this Nov. 8. On the ballot this fall running for a Middletown Township Council At-Large seat is Democratic candidate Mary Jo Grove. In the , Mary Jo, trying for the first time for one of the two open seats on council, took an impressive 470 votes to lock up a slot for the fall race. Not too shabby for a newcomer in our township.

But why should Middletown residents care? Well it’s about having a choice. Mary Jo represents a different point of view than the all-Republican council that is currently seated.

As an original member of the grass-roots organization Save Middletown, Mary Jo is the only candidate running that has been opposed to the dense-packed city plan for the Franklin Mint since its inception six years ago.

Mary Jo would like to preserve the environment of Middletown Township because that is the reason she moved here. She enjoys the rural feel and does not want to see very dense development that is being considered on Baltimore Pike and other parts of the township. Mary Jo has regularly attended council meetings and has spoken out against what could have been the township's, if not the county’s, most aggressive attempt at mass urbanization. Mary Jo felt so strong about the issue that if fueled her decision to run for office.

But getting involved is nothing new to Mary Jo. As a cancer survivor, she serves on Riddle Hospital’s Cancer Center Advisory Committee and the Breast Center Steering Committees where she is helping to improve the patients’ and caregivers’ stays at the center. She has also served as the president of Wawa Farms Association, which is the homeowner’s group of her neighborhood. Mary Jo and her husband Gary (a Republican) have also been very active at Shippensburg University where she has served as president of the Alumni Association and now serves on the SU Foundation Board of Directors and its Executive Committee.  She and Gary are also serving as National Chairs of the present Comprehensive Campaign.

While Mary Jo has a proven track record of success as a business person and community leader, it’s not "business as usual" for her in the political arena. She is not a career politician who has been seated for years. She has not risen through the ranks by appointment, or hand-picked by the party for "special" committees. She’s a Middletown resident that is interested in providing a fresh look on old issues, creating a feeling and openness and transparency in our local government, and bringing a bi-partisan perspective and balance to the township.

You can find out more about Mary Jo at www.maryjogrove.com where her platform and contact information are published.