Yardley Borough Council Candidates
David Appelbaum
David Appelbaum and his family have lived in the borough for 15 years. He joined the Yardley Borough Council last year and heads the Community Outreach Committee. For the past several years, he has enjoyed working on numerous community projects that show off Yardley's charm, natural assets, and downtown.
Currently, he is supporting a local living history museum telling the story of Yardley’s African American residents.
David is the director of strategic partnerships at a technology business solutions company. He is also an adjunct professor teaching human-centered design in the Computing and Informatics Department at Drexel University.
He and his wife have 3 children, 6 cats, and a dog.
Don Carlson
Don Carlson is running to continue serving the community on the council. He has lived in the borough with his wife for the past 7 years and in Bucks County for the past 27 years.
He completed a 37-year professional career in 2019 where he leveraged mechanical engineering and economics degrees to progress through operations, purchasing, and executive management positions at a global instrumentation systems manufacturer.
For 12 years, he and his 2 sons were active in a local scouting troop. He is currently an officer in his development’s homeowners’ association where he interacts with residents and helps ensure proper fiscal oversight of this new community.
In 2018, Don joined the Yardley Borough Planning Commission, serving for 4 years – the final two years as Chair. He joined the council last September and serves on the General Government and Public Works Committees and is liaison to the Sewer Authority and Zoning Hearing Board.
Don is focused on implementing processes for longer-range financial forecasting. As the sidewalk and Mary Yardley Bridge projects near completion, the focus will shift to using the Comprehensive Plan and community input to identify future projects and a plan to pay for them.
Don is a data-driven decision maker who uses an analytical approach and business experience to ensure the successful management of the borough.
Uri Feiner
Uri Feiner has lived on North Main Street since 2011 and is serving his third round on Yardley Borough’s council. He has built a reputation for increasing transparency, tightening financial management, and listening to the needs of his fellow residents.
As an entrepreneur in the health and wellness field, he is an independent thinker who is committed to improving quality-of-life in the borough by increasing walkability, calming traffic, and protecting natural areas.
He cherishes Yardley’s strong community roots and natural beauty and considers himself lucky to live here. Rain or shine, he hardly misses a day taking a walk or bike ride with his family on the towpath or new sidewalk.
Kim Segal-Morris
Kim Segal-Morris was elected to serve on the council in 2019 and is honored to serve as its Vice President. She also serves as Chair of the Public Safety Committee and as a member of the Community Outreach Committee. In addition, she serves as liaison for the Human Relations Commission and the Environmental Advisory Committee.
Kim’s extensive experience in the field of education has provided her with the ability to listen, learn, lead, and collaborate with others to work toward common goals.
Throughout her current term, Kim has shown a commitment to collaborating with council and residents on the sidewalk project on North Main Street, replacing the Mary Yardley Bridge, and increasing the borough’s Community Rating System score resulting in increased savings for residents’ flood insurance.
During a second term she wants to continue to focus on pedestrian safety. Kim would like to work with the Public Safety Committee, council, and residents to improve the visibility of crosswalks by using stamped macadam, crosswalk murals, and/or lighting that alerts drivers to look out for pedestrians.
She also wants to focus on adding a crosswalk on South Main Street that would provide residents in Yardley Commons a safe way to access the sidewalk into town.
Michele Sharer
Michelle Sharer is a lifelong Bucks County resident who moved to the borough in 2008. A Pennsbury High School graduate, she attended BCCC and St. Francis School of Nursing. Married and the mother of three, she worked as a psychiatric and mental health nurse for 15 years.
Michelle is president of a non-profit organization that has improved Lake Afton, is a member of the local business association, and the author of a children’s book, “Alfalfa, the Story of a Duck from Lake Afton in Yardley, PA.”
This year, Michelle was appointed to fill a vacancy on the council. She brings her experiences in local community organizations and her heartfelt interest in improving Yardley for all its residents (people and wildlife).
As a council member, she will continue to apply the same passion and desire to succeed that she brings to her community groups. She will work with other council members to make sure the borough remains a great place to live by keeping it running as effectively and efficiently as it has been, working to make improvements where possible, while maintaining the transparency that the public deserves.
Jared Stump
Jared Stump is an author, speaker, and founder of a boutique marketing agency that serves clients in 13 states. He and his wife have lived in the borough for almost 6 years and have a 1-year-old daughter.
Jared is involved in various projects to connect residents and runs the Instagram account @yardley_borough.
He is running for council to give back to the town he loves and help facilitate stronger connections between the borough and residents.
Caroline Thompson
Caroline Thompson is running for reelection to the council. She has served in this capacity since 2018 and was unanimously voted in as Council President in May 2022.
A lifelong Bucks County resident and 9-year borough resident, Caroline and her growing family consider Yardley to be their forever town and home.
Professionally, Caroline serves as director of intellectual property at a large non-profit. She holds a bachelor’s degree in government and law and an MBA in management and strategy.
During her tenure on council, she has chaired the Community Outreach Committee and the General Government (Budget) Committee. Beyond the progressive and productive ordinances and referendums that she has helped draft and pass and budget management, Caroline serves as a mediator and organizer on council.
Council and borough staff operate like a fine-oiled and collaborative machine, which results in getting more things done. Caroline believes that “getting to yes” is a beautiful thing!
Yardley Borough Tax Collector Candidate
Christine Ventresca
Christine Crane Ventresca is currently serving as Yardley’s Tax Collector, a role that she enjoys.
It is important to Christine to make paying taxes as simple, clear, and stress-free as possible. In her time as Tax Collector, she modernized the tax recordkeeping and reporting process using a program recommended by Bucks County auditors. She also modified the format of Yardley’s Business Privilege Tax bill to allow for online payments, which has the added benefit of simplifying the tax records.
It has been Christine’s pleasure to get to know many of Yardley’s residents and business owners. She welcomes the opportunity to answer taxpayer’s questions and serve the borough. Christine is a 3rd-generation Yardley resident. She lives in the borough with her husband and their two teenage children.