At almost 300 years old, Plumstead Township has a rich history that cuts as deep as the Delaware River, which marks its eastern border. It is a first-class township in which to raise a family, and it is a Second Class Township as classified in the Code Act of May 1, 1933. Under the code, the Board of Supervisors is charged with general governance: to secure the safety, health, and welfare of its citizens by way of enacting ordinances and setting the township budget and taxes. This November, residents will elect two township supervisors to serve on the five-seat board for a six-year term ending in the year 2030, that is, two years after the next general election and when today’s average sixth grader becomes old enough to vote.
Hoping to fill those seats are Democratic candidates Ken Lichtenstein and Jen Moroney. Together, Ken and Jen are driven by the central question: How can we best meet the needs of our residents, preserve our natural resources, and promote transparent government?
Running for a second term, Ken has served on the board since 2020. His years of study at Drexel, Bryn Mawr College, and the University of Pennsylvania, combined with his background in community service, psychology, and business, translate to effective local leadership. During his first term, he facilitated the donation of the Old Danboro Chapel at 4808 Old Easton Road to the Plumstead Historical Society. The PHS now uses the 19th century chapel to hold meetings, host seminars, and display artifacts. Ken is also the driving force behind the re-establishment of the Land Preservation, Education and Advisory Committee, which promotes and oversees land preservation. For years, there was little focus on land preservation as a bulwark against development. Ken saw that gap.
Jen has been a lifelong resident of Bucks County, including living in Doylestown for 15 years and Plumstead Township for seven. You could almost say the area is in her DNA, as her parents are both graduates of CB West and still live locally, while her great-grandparents farmed the land where The Carriage Hill community currently exists.
To Jen, the 2024 general election was a call to action. She stepped up and got involved, bringing a fresh perspective to the community as a volunteer. If elected to the board, Jen can apply her experience in strategic thinking and purposeful planning while helping to bring transparency to local government. Her bid for supervisor runs parallel with her competitive side. She’s completed 30 triathlons and is an Ironman Lake Placid alumna. Did she have a mentor? “Funny enough, I’m quite internally driven and am competitive by nature—I compete against myself,” she said, adding, “I’ve always surrounded myself with strong, brilliant women, especially when I was an investment analyst because I was often the only woman in the room.”
Ken’s role as a township supervisor is local, but his outlook is broad. Zooming out to a state and county level, he is the sole Plumstead board member serving on the executive board of the Bucks County Association of Township Officials. A key current focus is on support for the volunteer fire and ambulance departments. Ken is co-chair of the county team that is holding a number of work sessions on the issue of “how to help assure townships in Bucks are able to effectively respond to emergencies.” Ken also serves Plumstead on the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS), representing townships with populations of over 10,000.
If you ask Jen about her most satisfying accomplishment, she’ll tell you it’s not having led group insurance teams through complex challenges or managing investment portfolios with balances in the stratosphere, or even her athletic achievements; rather, it’s about her work as a volunteer. “Volunteering is something I’ve always done and will continue to do regardless of how busy life gets.” While president of Penn Mutual’s community outreach program, Jen had led a 12-member team, raising money, collecting items for charity, and organizing volunteer opportunities. “For two years, we worked successfully with close to 30 organizations. That led to my nomination to the Forum for Executive Women’s Leadership program of which I am now an alumnus.”
Jen’s passion for giving back extends beyond the corporate world to the natural world. She loves the donkeys. “In 2019, I sponsored a donkey named Hope at a rescue farm in Plumsteadville. I started volunteering once a week and have continued to this day. Giving back is just a part of who I am, and I believe if you have the capacity to give back or help in some small way, you should.”
Ken praises his running mate’s devotion and boundless energy. “Jen has held positions that demand integrity, accountability, and results — exactly the kind of experience Plumstead deserves on its board.”
The way Jen sees it, she couldn’t ask for a better running mate than Ken, noting his combination of academic and professional experience. “He brings experience, dedication, and compassion to the table, and that is the very leadership I want to run alongside.”
Coalescing Ken’s steady hand and Jen’s energy and forward-thinking mindset, they are ready to serve Plumstead’s more than 14,000 residents using skills essential to the financial health and strategic direction of the board. As a team, their shared vision is proactive, focused on shaping the township’s future while honoring its rich history, preserving the perfect blend of town and country that is Plumstead.
