County Leaders Show Teamwork Despite Politics

The Montgomery County Board of Commissioners met at the community college to talk about how they will keep services running if federal money shrinks. The meeting was friendly and full of back‑and‑forth between the three members, who come from different parties. The chair, Jamila Winder, said the board is watching the changes in programs like SNAP and Medicaid. She wants to know what will happen so they can plan ahead. Vice‑Chair Neil Makhija added that the cuts are big and will hurt many people. Tom DiBello, the only Republican on the board, said he wants to understand why the cuts are happening and how they can be managed. He also pointed out that sometimes the board’s views differ, but he believes that difference can help them find better solutions. The commissioners highlighted their goal of working together even when state lawmakers in Harrisburg and Washington are stuck in arguments. They want cooperation to become the usual way of doing things.During the talk, they reminded people that they have already opened shelters for those who are homeless and are looking into using artificial intelligence to help residents. They also plan to make it easier for people to get the services they need by cutting unnecessary paperwork. Even though the meeting was polite, it wasn’t always smooth. In July, Winder accused DiBello of not being empathetic after the police arrested 14 people in West Norriton. The two sides had different views about how to treat law‑enforcement agents. In the latest meeting, Makhija said he does not support ICE buying warehouses in Pennsylvania for holding people. DiBello replied that he supports law‑enforcement but thinks changes should come from Washington, not local politics. Winder ended the address by saying that the board will keep putting politics aside to help their community. She thanked everyone for listening and said they will continue working together for the good of Montgomery County.