In a March 19th social media post, Ambler’s mayor, Jeanne Sorg, addressed a comment made by Abington’s Joe Rooney regarding Women’s History Month during a March 5th Montgomery County commissioner meeting. During the meeting, the commissioners honored women in leadership positions at the municipal level and recognized a group of students (mostly young women) who are participating in a civics and democracy program. Rooney addressed the young women in the room stressing the importance of being wives and mothers. We break it all down for you below.

Sorg’s Statement on Social Media

Battles won do not mean the war is over.

It’s 2026 and at a public meeting honoring women in public service, a man decided he had the right to lecture teenage girls in the room that leadership was not a goal they should pursue. That they should concentrate their efforts to being wives and mothers.

Then, apparently needing a specific target for his bitterness, he directed his ire at me saying no one will remember the Mayor of Ambler.

He was wrong.

The women who serve our community are not in it for glory. They do it because they love their neighbors. They do it because it matters. They’re efforts will endure. And they will be remembered.

When I talk about Women’s History Month, I usually lift up the trailblazers and speak about the age of disco fever, eight-track tapes, and leisure suits and the battles my own mother waged to become the first woman miner on the iron range. She stood up to gender discrimination alongside the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. And she won. For the first time in history, Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act was successfully used to secure equality for women in hiring.

But in 2026, I was reminded that battles won do not mean the war is over.

It is being fought right now. In board rooms, in classrooms, in living rooms, and at the ballot, there are those fighting against our daughters.

This Women in Public Office Day and Women’s History Month, I’m asking you to stand with the women who serve. Support them. Lift them up. And make sure every young woman in your life knows: her voice belongs in every room where decisions are made.

The fight continues — it just no longer has a disco soundtrack.

What Rooney Said (and the video and interview)

During a public comment section of the meeting, Joe Rooney of Abington stood up and addressed several issues. Sorg’s specific issue with Rooney was his statement involving Women’s History Month. Rooney looked at the young women from the civics and democracy program and stated, “It is Women’s History Month. Real quick. God bless our mothers and wives. Young ladies, if you want to make a difference in life, be a mother and wife. That is the only thing that really matters. That is what really matters in life. People can do anything. You can be the mayor of Ambler and nobody is going to remember you. Your kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids will still remember you, and that makes for a great country.”

Rooney’s comments led to several in the crowd to jeer.

AroundAmbler.com spoke to Rooney late last week and he offered that he supports women doing anything they want in life. He pointed out that his wife Beth was a pilot in the Navy for 24 years and was the Navy’s first woman jet test pilot. He has a daughter who serves a nuclear engineer in the Navy. He has nothing but admiration for strong women seeking to break barriers.

But he also believes in the adages that 20 years from now, the only people who will remember that you worked late are your kids and that no one lays on their death bed wishing they had worked more. And he feels that feminists are stressing careers and service without also mentioning the importance of having a family.

Rooney also pointed out that recently he attended an event where many of the county level officials were in attendance and while Winder’s image was featured on the backdrop, she was absent due to a family event. He commended that offering, “Kids remember when you miss a birthday party.”

During a March 17th meeting, Sorg issued a mayoral proclamation to make March 19th Ambler Celebrating Women in Public Office Day.

Photo: Screengrab from Montgomery County’s video