County Launches Rent-a-Troll Program
The Chester County, Pennsylvania, Board of Supervisors has approved a six-month rent-a-troll program allowing residents to rent the services of an irritating individual through the county’s Department of Civic Vitality. The board cited evidence that “some residents require structured antagonism to reach their civic full potential.” The rent-a-troll initiative, funded by a modest state innovation grant, pairs residents with a municipally assigned person whose sole purpose is to provide “light, non-violent motivational friction.”
According to the program’s brochure, trolls will “challenge, provoke, and constructively irritate participants toward higher levels of personal productivity.” “This is not about hostility,” said Program Director Meredith Kline, 39, a former conflict-resolution consultant who once mediated a boundary dispute between two Chester County garden clubs. “This is about accountability. Some people thrive when someone else is beating them to the recycling center by three minutes and then posting about it.” Residents may choose a troll from three tiers:
- Basic Troll—a polite but competitive individual who parks slightly straighter than others. A man whose greatest joy is informing strangers that they parked within the lines but not within the spirit of the lines.
- Premium Troll—a rival who signs up for the same adult learning classes and performs better than you do.
- HOA-Level Troll—not recommended for beginners.
Participants report mixed experiences with the program. “My troll keeps jogging past my house at the exact moment I’m considering not jogging,” said Greg Lutz, a 44-year-old facilities coordinator who had been considering jogging for two years. “It’s honestly been great for my marriage.” Others say the program lacks discipline. “I requested someone who would challenge me,” said Dana Friel, 32, a project manager who completed a leadership seminar in the Poconos last spring and has not stopped mentioning it.
“Instead, I got a guy who nods at me in Wegmans occasionally. That’s not a troll. That’s an acquaintance with opinions.” County officials insist the program is already showing results. “We’ve seen a 12 percent increase in yard-maintenance compliance,” said Assistant County Manager Paul Redding, who joined the department after eight years overseeing storm water infrastructure and considers this his most rewarding assignment to date.
“People are mowing lawns out of spite, and that’s the kind of civic engagement we like to see.” Not everyone is convinced, however. “This is government overreach,” said resident Bud Myers, a retired insurance adjuster who has attended every board of supervisors meeting since 2019 and has never once been satisfied with the outcomes.
“If I wanted a real troll, I’d join a pickle ball league.”
The county plans to evaluate the pilot program in November. If the results are favorable, officials hope to offer residents the option of selecting trolls by age, profession, political views, or preferred lawn-mowing pattern.
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