Politics & Government

Meet Dave Burton, Running for Mayor

Communication is key for this resident of over four decades.

Name:  Dave Burton (D)

Address:  19 Powelton Ave., Malvern

Running For: Mayor of Malvern

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Positions Held Previously: none

What do you think can be done to improve pedestrian travel in the area?  I’ve lived in Malvern Borough for 43 years.  One of the best reasons for staying in Malvern all that time – and into the foreseeable future – is the walkability of our wonderful community.  I can recall a time when I could walk my children to St. Pat’s school, walk to my job, and then walk to my errands on the way home!  It’s no wonder that Malvern is under so much pressure to develop more housing units.  

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I think it is imperative that we carefully study the impact of these new developments on traffic, the business community and the safety of walking around our downtown for pedestrians.  That way we can make informed decisions about the next round of development plans near the train station. 

Explain which issues motivated you to run:  Malvern Borough has been great to me over the years.  My wife Linda and I look forward to spending our retirement in Malvern.  I feel that it’s only fair for me to give back to the community through government service.  I feel that the time is right in 2013 because the character of our town is changing rapidly.  

New high-rise apartments and dense infill developments that put 5 houses where historically we would have only built one are a big concern to many residents that I spoke with during this campaign. Change is inevitable, and development pressure is the natural consequence of Malvern being the great town that it is. The challenge we face is managing these changes to preserve the quality of life for all residents of Malvern.

Is there an area in which you think the current administration could have performed better, and how would you address that area?  I believe that I will approach the position differently. The Mayor’s direct power in our system of government is quite limited. Managing the police department is the main duty of our Mayor. However, I plan to be more involved in other areas of borough management and on important decisions. The Mayor has a unique position to air concerns on every issue.  

Furthermore, I’ve heard from many residents that communication about development and other issues is lacking. The public needs good communication from government in order to have their voices heard on the issues they care about. As Mayor, I’ll use what I’ve learned from living in Malvern for 43 years along with what I hear from residents to be another voice for what’s best for the future of our town, and to inform and encourage residents to participate in the process as well.


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