Township Commissioner Candidates

Haverford Township is led by nine Township Commissioners who are elected by Ward residents. Commissioners elect their own President and Vice President at the beginning of each new year. The Commissioners appoint a Township Manager who then oversees a sizable staff. The commissioners serve both the executive and legislative duties, meaning they enact local ordinances and administer them. Additionally, they approve budgets, oversee spending, and hire township employees. Commissioners also represent their specific Wards and make recommendations and decisions based on the needs of their Wards. This is a four-year position, even numbered Wards are voted on in even years, odd Wards in odd years. (We will vote for ONE if we reside in an odd numbered Ward.)

Democrats

Ward 2

Sherry Forste-Grupp (Ward 2) (Incumbent)

Sherry Forste-Grupp is the current commissioner of the second ward. She promises to act with transparency and accountability, support our Haverford Township Free Library and other organizations which enrich our community, and promote initiatives to make our Township a welcoming and safe place to everyone.

Dr. Forste-Grupp and her husband Stephan Grupp moved to the Llanerch section of Haverford Township in 1996 from Boston. Their three children attended Haverford Public Schools and are pursuing varied careers in economics, city planning, and social work.

Dr. Forste-Grupp graduated summa cum laude from the University of Cincinnati. She earned a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Harvard University in 1996. She taught at Villanova University and Episcopal Academy before joining The Baldwin School in 2013 where she currently teaches high school English. Dr. Forste-Grupp has published several papers on medieval English literature and given numerous academic talks. She served on the Board of Trustees for the Haverford Township Free Library from 2002-2009 and the Oakmont Farmers Market Board from 2017-2021.

Ward 4

Judy Trombetta (Ward 4) (Incumbent Board President)

Judy Trombetta was sworn in as a Haverford Township Commissioner representing the 4th Ward in January 2022. She and her husband, Brandon, son, Ari, live on Darby Creek Road in Havertown. As a working mom, Ms. Trombetta’s highest priority is to make sure that Haverford Township is responsive to the needs of our diverse residents and remains a great place to live for generations to come.

A native of Chester County, Ms. Trombetta earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Temple University and a master’s degree in Social Work with a concentration in Community Organizing from the University of Pittsburgh.

Ms. Trombetta has dedicated her career to helping the community through public service. She served for over a decade in leadership positions in the legislative offices of two Pittsburgh City Council Members and, more recently, a Pennsylvania State Senator who represented parts of Montgomery and Delaware Counties, including Haverford Township. Judy has also worked and volunteered for numerous nonprofit and advocacy organizations focusing on issues around mental health, food access, criminal justice, public education, and neighborhood preservation.

Ward 6

Larry Holmes (Incumbent)

Larry Holmes, Esq., has served as Ward 6 Commissioner since 2006, and as Vice President of the Board in 2019 and 2020. As Commissioner, Holmes has concentrated his efforts on the Skatium, public works, finance, personnel, and the library. He has chaired the Finance Committee for 12 years, helping the Township to earn a first-time Triple "A" Bond Rating in 2020 for Haverford Township General Obligation Bonds and to secure low-priced public financings. In 2015, Holmes coordinated a bipartisan effort to build the combined municipal services building and police department. In 2011, Holmes was instrumental in passing the township's Human Relations Ordinance, which bars discrimination in housing, commercial property, employment and public accommodations.

Holmes is a Principal at Offit Kurman, a law firm in Philadelphia. He is a graduate of Georgetown University and Villanova University School of Law. During 26 years of commercial litigation, Holmes spent nine years practicing law in the area of municipal finance, including serving as Haverford Township's Bond Counsel in 2001. A native of Northeastern Pennsylvania, he resides with his family in Ardmore.

Learn mo re about Larry Holmes.

Ward 8

Gerry Hart (Incumbent)

Gerry Hart, MD, a family physician, has been Ward 8 commissioner since 2017. Dr. Hart currently serves as chair of the Environmental Advisory, Fire, Health, Senior Citizens', and Skatium Boards, and is an active member of the Police, Library, Recreation, Public Works, and Economic Development Boards. His long-time commitment to local sports and open space initiatives include being a member of the Friends of Haverford Trails and a longtime soccer and baseball coach.

A graduate of Boston College and of Rutgers Medical School, Dr. Hart moved to Havertown in 1990 after completing his National Health Service Corps obligation in Georgia. He is board certified in both Family Medicine and Geriatrics and practiced in mostly underserved areas in the Philadelphia region for 25 years (on a part-time basis since 2016). Dr. Hart has been a resident of Haverford Township for more than 30 years.