Local Business Pays For Cheese Club Flagpole

On Monday, Haverford Township Board of Commissioners President Bill Wechsler shared a township letter to the Haverford-Havertown Patch that shows that an Upper Darby business has paid for the flagpole in front of the Cheese Club.

The letter, addressed to William F. Santora, Sr., the CEO of A&E Construction Co. located on 152 Garrett Rd., reveals that his company had paid for the $550 flagpole.

“On behalf of the Township of Haverford and the Board of Commissioners, I sincerely want to thank you and the employees that contributed $550 to cover the expense of the flagpole that resides at the Cheese Club,” wrote Township Manger Larry Gentile. The letter was dated Monday, Jan. 23.

The incident started during a , when Larry Chrzan, for the 7th Ward in the 2011 election, asked the commissioners if township money was used to pay for a flagpole in front of the Cheese Club, a private property, that was dedicated to a fallen veteran. 

At the meeting Gentile admitted to the commissioners that he did use township funds to pay for the flagpole, saying that it was part of improving the business district in the Oakmont section of Havertown. He did offer to pay for it.

Wechsler, the 9th Ward commissioner, stated in an email to Patch on Monday, Jan. 23, that 7th Ward Commissioner James McGarrity offered to pay the entire cost of the flagpole. The flagpole, which  replaced an old one in July of 2011, was in honor of Robert Burns, a U.S. Army veteran who died in March of 2011 at the age of 79, Wechsler added. 

“Mr. Burns served in the Korean War and was a local resident. He was also a member of the Cheese Club,” Wechsler wrote. “I applaud Commissioner McGarrity for honoring Mr. Burns. By honoring this local hero he is also paying tribute to all our veterans who served and those that continue to serve their country and neighbors. We must never forget their service to our country which continues to provide the freedom we enjoy.”

McGarrity was not the first one to offer to pay for the flagpole.  , Patrick J. Lavin, commander of the American Legion Post 667 in Havertown, said that the Legion would be willing to pay for the flagpole.

Wechsler commented that he was not sure if a violation of a law was broken to have township money used for a private property, but  stated that it should not have been done and he promised that stricter guidelines have been put in place.

“I apologize for the oversight by the township. We will now have the finance director and solicitor review any purchase request that originates from a commissioner. Any expenditures requested by a commissioner will be published to all commissioners for review and comment after the initial review by the finance director and solicitor,” Wechsler wrote.

Santora and McGarrity have not yet returned Patch’s phone messages seeking comment. Patch was unable to reach the Cheese Club for comment.