Horsham Council Appoints Two to HLRA

The Horsham Township Council on Monday appointed two businessmen to the board charged with deciding the future development of the sprawling

The council appointed Gary Bissig and Larry Burns to fill five-year terms that end Dec. 31, 2013 and Dec. 31, 2014, respectively.

Bissig, who spearheaded the  community policing program and serves as the township’s deputy emergency management coordinator, will fill the seat vacated two months ago by Terry Tumulo, owner of and the Commonwealth Corporate Center.

Burns, who participates in several regional organizations, including the Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, also sits on the HLRA’s economic development subcommittee and will replace Carmen Italia, who serves on the Montgomery County Industrial Development Corporation. Italia resigned from the board last year, Township Manager Bill Walker said.

Council President Mark McCouch said the appointments were made well after Italia and Tumulo tendered their resignations because the council needed to find “someone of equal value” in terms of a business and economic development background. McCouch said the council reviewed resumes of interested candidates before deciding on Bissig and Burns.

With the appointments, which were approved 4-0 with an abstention from Councilman W. William Whiteside – who chairs the HLRA - the authority returns to its nine-member board, Walker said.

When reached Monday afternoon, Tumulo said he resigned from the HLRA for “personal reasons.”

“It was a very difficult decision for me to make,” Tumulo said, adding that his golf course and corporate center represent the largest linear border of the air base. “I have deep interest in what happens with the HLRA.”

Bissig and Burns will have a chance to attend their first HLRA meeting as board members on June 15 at 3 p.m. Prior to that, the HLRA is holding a two-day community design charrette on June 10-11 at Horsham’s community center. Friday’s two identical sessions will be held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. A presentation based on public input from those sessions is scheduled for June 11 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For more on the HLRA, click here.