Cheltenham Township has decided to break with long-standing tradition and cut its funding for the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership in half for this year, writes Kenny Cooper for WHYY.

The move has upset the TTF leadership as well as some members of the community.

“The impact on us is pretty serious,” said Julie Slavet, the executive director of the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership.

The partnership was founded in 2000 by the Philadelphia Water Department as a collaborative effort to protect water quality in the region as well as engage the community, provide stewardship of the waterways, and help restore the environment for the 33-square-mile watershed that covers parts of Montgomery County and Philadelphia.

So far, Cheltenham has paid $40,000 to the partnership each year, but it will only pay $20,000 for 2021.

The township believes that other municipalities should increase their contributions, some of which are significantly lower than the amount Cheltenham has been contributing.

“Check out our contributions made by our neighbor Abington Township, a large and well-funded municipality, whose parsimonious annual allocation of $2,500 to TTF reflects a lack of appreciation,” said township Commissioner Mitch Zigmund-Felt.

Read more about the Watershed Partnership in WHYY.