The public comment portion of the second of two hearings on the proposed 2011 township budget lasted just over two hours, and 32 individuals approached the stand to give their opinions on the financial direction of the township in the new year.

Below is a brief summary of the comments made, first published on the Ardmore-Merion-Wynnewood Patch twitter feed @ArdmorePatch.

• Township Manager Cleland gives short opening speech, 10 names on the public comment sheet; crowd almost at capacity, handful of empty seats (7:14)
• First comment: 1914 signatures from all 14 wards on a petition to reduce the proposed tax increase: http://patch.com/buOCg (7:!6)
• "I'm incredibly frustrated that you (the BOC) spend more time discussing the vinyl on a historic district window than a $28 million plan" (7:25)
• Third comment a plea to support Lower Merion's libraries, commenter says nearly 1.5 million items circulated in LM last year (7:26)
• Fact check: commenter said Twp Manager Cleland makes more than any US Senator or Represenative and the PA Governor – False - figures coming (7:37)
• Cleland's salary $193,323; Rendell makes $179,914, but US Congress varies, Speaker of House makes $223,500–party leaders make about the same (7:38)
• Things have gotten a little rowdy in the board room, people shouting, upset about comments by both public and commissioners about Cleland (7:42)
• One commenter criticized Cleland for saying "our" budget, saying he was not a LM citizen, Reed responded then Brown responded, people yelled (7:47)
• Clarification, party leaders make about same as Cleland not Speaker, here are the salaries - http://patch.com/buOCm (7:50)
• Cleland's salary comes from page 117 of the proposed budget -http://patch.com/buOCo (7:56)
• Next commenter suggested (satirically) that female commissioners receive 70% of the salary of men, then called someone a horse's ass (7:57)
• Nearing the end of commenters who signed up to speak, others can speak impromptu before the commissioners debate takes over (7:59)
• Long presentation on how taxes have risen in relation to the CPI, first pretty strongly pro-proposed budget arguments made shortly after 8pm (8:10)
• More residents have argued for the tax increase as proposed than in the first public hearing, another just finished (8:17)
• Local organizations (Public Access TV, historical groups) speaking about programs they would like funded, audience thinning (8:33)
• Public comment still going strong, many more people support the 12.7% than last meeting, many from Bala Cynwyd (8:51)
• Public commenter No. 29 just took the stand, beats the first meeting, potentially more to come, but looks like its winding down (9:17)
• Public hearing has been called to a close, 32 people have commented, the commissioners will now begin to discuss and debate the budget (9:27)