TARA GRUNDE-McLAUGHLIN

With ten years of experience on Newtown Borough Council, including several years of service as vice president and president, Tara Grunde-McLaughlin is running for mayor. Tara has lived in the Borough since 1999, and she is committed to serving our community with thoughtful stewardship of our beloved town. She and her husband Ed raised their four children here, and all have gone to or are presently attending Council Rock schools.

Over the course of a decade on Borough Council, Tara has dealt with various issues facing the Borough and has been integral to initiatives that improved aspects of our town. She was key to developing a transformative fire services agreement that assured safety for Borough residents while being conscious of costs, and her support of Borough nonprofits and the business community led her to research, initiate, develop, and work through drafts with Council and the Police Chief for an ordinance and permit process allowing special events that allow alcohol consumption. Her care for reducing nuisances to Borough residents led her to initiate, research, and develop an ordinance addressing short term rentals, and as a strong advocate for walkability and pedestrian safety she worked closely with consultants on developing a grant-funded Safety and Walkability Review.

During her tenure on Council, she also acted at varying points as liaison for the Recreation Board, Zoning Hearing Board, Shade Tree Commission, Environmental Advisory Council, Traffic Committee, Planning Commission, Budget and Finance Committee, Police Committee, and Fire Services Committee. Prior to joining Council, she also spent 6 years on the Borough Recreation Board. These experiences have uniquely served her to deeply understand the various aspects of the Borough’s needs, values, and operation.

As mayor, she can continue to contribute to fostering the rich, vibrant, and historic character of the Borough while using the knowledge and resources she developed on Borough Council.

Tara is a graduate of Colgate University and holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.