Newtown Council Hires Delco Administrator As First Borough Manager

NEWTOWN BOROUGH, PA — The Newtown Borough Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to hire a Delaware County borough administrator as the town's first borough manager and treasurer.

Craig Totaro, who has served as borough manager for the past 16 years in Lansdowne Borough and who has been working as an interim administrator for Rutledge Borough since February, will take the administrative helm in Newtown Borough effective May 28 at an annual salary of $140,000.

While serving as manager, Lansdowne was recognized in 2023 with Governor's Awards for Local Excellence for three projects: a borough bicycle loop, a Gateway Slope Pathway and a tot lot.

During his tenure with the borough, Totaro was also successful in securing and overseeing numerous grants, including for a theater project and a planned Veterans pathway, according to local news reports.

"This has been a long time coming," said Councilor Julia Woldorf who made the motion to hire Totaro. "We've been talking about having a borough manager since probably about 2007. And I'm so pleased council has moved this far.

"I'm also very excited about Mr. Tataro," added Woldorf. "He presented himself very well (during the interview process). He will bring excellence experience, knowledge and skill and will be a great leader to get Newtown Borough moving forward in a better direction."

Councilor Josh Phillips agreed. "Mr. Tataro's resume is very impressive. He'll be bringing a great skill set to the borough as well as a wonderful demeanor. I look forward to working with him. And I can't wait for everyone to meet him."

Council President Emily Heinz added, "Not only is Mr. Tataro very well qualified and will bring all of his skills and expertise to the table, he's very excited to join us. He's also excited to solve the puzzle of moving us into a new form of government."

Up until now, the borough has operated with a full time borough secretary and a full time borough treasurer with volunteer council members handling oversight.

While Council had debated about adding the position in the past, it was the announced resignation of its long time borough treasurer Pat Ours in 2023 that brought the idea back to the council table last year.

In lieu of filling Ours' position, the council began the process of finding a borough manager to take on the administrative and financial direction of the borough. The council hired the nonprofit Meyner Center to assist with the search and recruitment process.

The council, however, suspended its search at year's end handing over the process to the incoming council. The new council resumed the search in January with a new executive recruitment committee in place and with the continued assistance of the Meyner Center.

The borough’s executive search committee included Mayor John Burke, Council President Heinz, and councilors Mary Ellen Reymond and Julia Woldorf.