2007 News

January 3, 2007

Charles H. Martin Unanimously Elected Chairman of Bucks County Board of Commissioners for 2007

For the seventh time in his 13 years of public service as a Bucks County Commissioner, Charles H. Martin will serve as chairman of the board. Martin takes over from James F. Cawley, Esq., who chaired the board throughout 2006.

Citing the June floods and implementation of new voting machines last year, Martin directed words of commendation to the outgoing chair. “Your leadership was instrumental in responding to these and many other issues,” He also expressed thanks to Commissioner Miller for her efforts, as she moves into the 16 th year of service as county commissioner.

Martin, who last served as chairman in 2005, also was the chairman in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2005. In addition to his duties as commissioners’ vice chairman last year, Martin was the chair of the Bucks County Board of Elections. Under his 2006 aegis, Bucks County enjoyed a General Election voter turnout of more than 233,000 – or better than 56 percent.

Martin was nominated as chair by Cawley, with a second from Miller. Filling the vice chairman slot for 2007 will be Cawley, nominated by Martin and seconded by Miller. With the post of vice chair comes the responsibility to serve as chairman of the Board of Elections.

A past president of the Bucks County Association of Township Officials, Martin is a current member of the board of directors of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA). He also served as a member of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Prior to his appointment to the Bucks County Board of Commissioners in 1995, Martin enjoyed a three-decade career in management and public affairs with PECO Energy by stressing issues of transportation, public works, emergency operations and communications, and regional anti-terrorism planning, to name just a few.

Martin is a past member of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) Board of Directors, which he served from 1996-2005. From 1999-2003, he served on the Board of Directors of the Bucks County Conservation District (BCCD). A graduate of William Tennent High School and Lebanon Valley College, he and his wife, Jean, reside in Upper Southampton Township with their two English bulldogs, Winston and Maggie.