In Memoriam — Robert Bielski and William Fulton
Posted October 22, 2025
Chester County Planning Commission notes, with deep regret, the passing of two longtime and important employees of the planning commission family.
Robert Bielski
F. Robert (Bob) Bielski of West Chester, Pennsylvania passed away at the age of 94 on October 10, 2025. Bob was a well-respected professor at West Chester University where he taught geography, urban planning, and cartography and later served as chair of the Geography and Planning Department, before retiring in 1996. Bob also joined CCPC staff in 1962 where he served as the staff demographer. He retired from CCPC in 2003 after 41 years of service to the County. Bob served on the section council of the APA-PA Southeast Section in the late 80's and 1990's and was interested in planning throughout the five-county region. A significant contribution of Bob's was the Pennsylvania Planning Oral History Project which documented the early planning history of the Delaware Valley's planning commissions through in-depth interviews with their planning directors and other giants in the field at the time. That document provided invaluable information for CCPC's 75th Anniversary articles and the history of CCPC. Staff members who had the pleasure of working with Bob remember him with great fondness. View Obituary
William Fulton
William H. Fulton (Bill) passed away September 16, 2025 at the age of 78 after a brief illness. Bill's planning career spanned 37 years including the Chester County Planning Commission where he spent 21 years, starting in 1985 as the Assistant Director. Bill was appointed as Executive Director in 1996, a position he held until retiring in 2006. A major accomplishment under Bill's leadership was the completion and adoption of the County's comprehensive plan, Landscapes: Managing Change in Chester County. Landscapes, along with the Vision Partnership Program (VPP) municipal grant, was recognized with a national planning award for Outstanding Planning Program, Project or Tool by the American Planning Association in 1999. Landscapes' goal of "balancing growth and preservation" has served as the foundation for the county's planning efforts ever since, a significant planning legacy that occurred under Bill's guidance. On a personal note, Bill was well known for his love of rugby, pride in his Scottish Heritage, and passion for Robert Burns, the poet laureate of Scotland, at one time serving as the Director and USA Vice President of the Robert Burns Association of North America. View Obituary
The Planning Commission is pleased to recognize the planning accomplishments of both Bob and Bill and proud to have had them as members of our staff.