Derry Township Supervisors address conservative author who condemned recreational drugs and gambling

Hershey, Pennsylvania — Upon completion of the Pledge of Allegiance at last night’s Board of Supervisors meeting in Derry Township, the first order of business was to publicly address an opinion penned by a township planning commissioner, printed by PennLive, expressing his disapproval of recreational drugs and local gambling machines. The board addressed the author’s signature on the opinion using his title as a public official in Derry Township.

In a follow up to his original statement, the author cited the perspective of another township resident who evoked the legacy of Milton Hershey and his original vision for the town of Hershey to be a beautiful community free of vice. His opinion is published online in full, and printed in The Sunday Patriot News including his title, Secretary of Derry Township Planning Commission.

The public meeting on Tuesday evening was standing room only in the full house on a night featuring Derry Township Police Department promotions of three Sergeants and one Lieutenant. Although the police promotions were listed first on the meeting agenda, new business for the board was prioritized to publicly address the opinion of a township planning commissioner in front of the room full of police and their family members.

On Friday, PennLive published a letter to the editor signed by the Secretary of Derry Township’s Planning Commission. The subject of the letter criticized a budget proposal of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to rely upon revenue from recreational drugs and corner store gambling machines. PennLive circulated the opinion on X (formerly Twitter, now owned by Elon Musk), where it gained attention as a rare conservative perspective being featured by PennLive. In the letter, the author concluded that, “Shapiro’s plan is a degenerate proposal for the future generations of families and businesses in the Keystone State.”

The opinion was also shared on Facebook and other social media platforms. According to a post circulating in a group on Facebook, township supervisor Richard Zmuda was potentially coerced for politically motivated reasons in Derry Township to issue a reprimand.

On Monday, the Board of Supervisors convened to discuss the opinion, and newly hired township manager Zack Jackson put in a call to the editor of PennLive demanding a retraction of the letter to the editor. At that time, PennLive contacted the author to advise.

Derry Township Solicitor Patrick Armstrong and Jackson reached out directly to the author demanding he will never again sign opinions using his township title. The author said he initially agreed due to fear of retaliation. However, in hindsight, said he is proud of his opinion, and believes his sentiments are shared by the majority of residents in Derry Township. He later cited the perspective of another township resident who evoked the legacy of Milton Hershey and his original vision for the town of Hershey to be free of vice.

Township solicitor Armstrong was not present during the meeting, and a substitute solicitor filled his seat. The township has postponed new appointments to Derry Township boards, due to the commissioner’s opinion, until a new policy is instituted by Derry Township Solicitor Patrick Armstrong

Shapiro’s gubernatorial opponent blasted Derry Township’s action as being “totally not appropriate.” Senator Doug Mastriano said the author is entitled to his personal opinion as a planning commissioner.

PennLive editor Joyce Davis also supports the author’s freedom of expression, stating, “It is your right to identify yourself in a letter to the editor. That is our policy for all submissions. Thanks for writing!” Davis responded to the author in an email obtained by Harrisburg100.

PennLive columnist Nancy Eshelman took a different perspective in a comment that she made in response to the opinion, instead supporting state revenue from drugs and gambling, because she said people are already doing it.