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Bethel Township supervisors reappointed Richard Rudy as board chairman during a reorganization meeting on Monday, Jan. 6.
Supervisor Michael Saphore was reappointed as vice chairman and township manager Missy Johnson will again be secretary/treasurer.
Other reappointments include Saphore as roadmaster, Andrew Morrow of Spitler, Kilgore & Enck, township solicitor, Matthew Mack of Mack Engineering, township engineer, and Jackie Hollenbach of Mack Engineering, zoning officer and flood plain administrator. Mack Engineering was also retained as subdivision and land development enforcement officer.
Christine Spangler was reappointed to the Bethel Township Planning Commission for a five-year term and Gary Lentz was renamed to the zoning hearing board for a three-year term. Jeremy Bentz was named the township’s sewer enforcement officer.
Other firms hired by the township for its various boards include Michael Gombar Jr. of Masano Bradley LLP as zoning hearing board solicitor, Light-Heigel & Associates as uniform construction code officer, and Rettew as traffic study engineer.
Other township resident appointments and the boards on which they will serve include: Dave Hanula and Shane Moyer, uniform construction code appeals; Dale Snader, Bruce Light, Linford Snyder, Loren Stoner and Randy Zeigler, agricultural security area; Elaine Ludwig, vacancy; Samantha Acri and John Shireman (alternate); recreation; and Scott Gettle, Fredericksburg Sewer/Water Authority.
James Shotzberger and Jennifer Harding (alternate) were named to the township’s tax collection committee. AnneMarie Boltz was selected as warrant for tax collection/municipal taxes. The Lebanon County Tax Claim Bureau was appointed to collect street light, fire hydrant and delinquent real estate taxes while GH Harris was selected to collect the township’s occupational privilege tax.
Other appointments for 2025 include: Rudy, chief administrative officer, township pension plan; Saphore, employee representative; Light and Saphore, duel supervisor representatives, recreation board; Rudy, sewer/water authority; Johnson, CDL contact; and township secretary Cathy Sheroky was reappoined as the township’s Right to Know officer.
Following the reorganization meeting, supervisors conducted business including a unanimous decision to support the Fireman’s Park land development plan waiver request for Fredericksburg Fire Company #1, with four stipulations that the applicant will:
- Submit a stormwater management plan for review and approval and pay all associated fees.
- Apply to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for a highway occupancy permit for the existing driveway and make improvements as required by PennDOT.
- Apply to PennDOT for a temporary driveway construction permit before beginning construction at Fireman’s Park.
- Not rent the facilities until PennDOT has approved the HOP permit and all improvements are installed.
In cooperation with the fire department, local poultry producer Bell & Evans has proposed constructing new buildings and bathroom facilities, making parking upgrades and tying water and sewer into the public system at Fireman’s Park, just outside Fredericksburg along Route 343.
Read More: Bell & Evans officials lay out long-term goals to Bethel Twp. planning officials
Bell & Evans officials have proposed financing the project and are working in cooperation with fire company personnel since the park is owned by the fire department.
The request was granted because there will be no changes made to the land’s use, Light said. Fireman’s Park is the site of the annual Hinklefest, which is a celebration of all things chicken.
In other township business, supervisors voted to:
- Set the mileage reimbursement rate for township employees and supervisors traveling on township business at 70 cents per mile, which is the 2025 rate established by the Internal Revenue Service.
- Name Rudy the township’s voting delegate at the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors’ state convention.
- Set the treasurer’s/manager bond at $2 million.
- Authorize the payment of township payroll and invoices between monthly meetings, and the three township supervisors and township manager as signatories to the financial institutions that hold the township’s financial accounts.
- Appoint three financial institutions as depositories for the township.
- Retain all current and new township employees.
- Approve and sign the land development and stormwater management plans and easement agreement for the Matthew Balmer poultry operation.
- Approve the financial report.
- Pay bills in the following amounts: general fund, $24,462.39; street light, $3,168.77; and park and recreation, $147.32.
- Permit the supervisors, township manager, administrative assistant and chairman of the planning commission to attend the PSATS annual Educational Conference and Trade Show in May at a cost of $199 per person plus compensate the hourly wage reimbursement of the township manager, administrative assistant and supervisors.
- Grant the CoStars with Certifications program for the purchase of road materials.
- Compensate C.M. High Inc. for two preventative maintenance repair estimates: $435.68 for a new push-button pole at Route 22 and Legionnaire Drive, and $232.96 for signal head servicing at the intersection of routes 22 and 343.
- Approve the minutes of their Dec. 30 special year-end meeting.
Read More: Bethel Twp. supervisors table waiver request for Fireman’s Park renovations
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the board is on Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. A special meeting will be held on Jan. 15 at 9 a.m. to award bids for the Camp Strause Road Bridge Super Structure Replacement and Rehabilitation Project.
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