Union Township considers increase of supervisor pay for first time since 1997

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The Union Township Board of Supervisors voted on May 14 to advertise an ordinance raising supervisor pay from $1,875 to $3,145 per year, as allowed by state law.

Solicitor Paul Bametzreider said the township has about 2,900 residents, so it falls into the under-4,999 residents category. Township population is used to determine the maximum annual pay allowed for supervisors.

He said Union Township’s supervisors haven’t gotten a pay increase in decades. The last compensation increase was adopted in 1997, he said.

“Frankly, you haven’t had a raise in almost 30 years, so I don’t think it’s a bad idea, but that’s ultimately the board’s call,” Bametzreider said. “It would not take effect until the supervisor is either elected the first time or reelected for a new term.”

Supervisor Dennis Firestone’s seat would be the first to get this raise if the board approves it. Firestone is not running for reelection in the May 20 primary.

Union Township will have one seat available, with that supervisor serving a six-year term. There are three candidates running, all on the Republican ticket — David Yavoich, Stephen Lum, and Herbert Eckert.

Read More: Here’s the list of candidates in Lebanon County’s 2025 municipal primary

In other business, supervisors:

• Approved the Memorial Day parade route for Monday, May 26, starting at 9 a.m. and lasting about 30 minutes. The staging area will be at the Lebanon Free Church parking lot. The parade will then go along Shepherd Street onto Jonestown Road and head east over the bridge.
• Heard an update from engineer Stephen Sherk about a traffic study they approved to possibly remove a pedestrian crossing at the intersection of State Route 72 and Jonestown Road. He said an engineer is moving through the process slowly and making sure PennDOT would be receptive to the idea before doing the full study.
• Heard concerns from resident Marc Hummer about traffic issues at Jonestown Road and Maple Lane. Hummer said since the township shaved down part of the bank, trucks have been speeding through the area and coming up on the bank. He said it’s tearing up some of the grass, and there’s “room for improvement.” Township officials said they don’t have a solution at this point, but they’ll try to come up with ideas.

Union Township Board of Supervisors will have its next regular monthly meeting at 3111 PA-72 on June 11 after the 6:30 p.m. sewer meeting.