Bethel Twp. supervisors vote to issue violation letter, reorganize board for 2026

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Bethel Township supervisors on Monday denied by a 2-1 vote a time extension request concerning the continuing closure of an illegal lumber business.

Supervisors also reorganized for the year at their Jan. 5 meeting while welcoming David Brubaker as a new supervisor. Brubaker won election last fall after former supervisor Bruce Light did not seek reelection.

Weiler Lumber

As part of the denial vote, supervisors authorized zoning officer Jackie Hollenbach to send a notice of violation letter as it relates to the illegal lumber yard use at 333 Union Road, with legal action to follow if the owner fails to comply with the terms of the letter. 

Township solicitor Andrew Morrow made that recommendation to supervisors based on the time that’s elapsed since owner Dale Weiler was informed to close his business at that location. Brubaker was the lone no vote while board chairman Richard Rudy and supervisor Michael Saphore voted to send the violation letter.

“Unless she starts that process, it’s gonna be a month from now and the township is gonna be no closer. At this point, it’s been almost, it’s really, the deadline was actually the end of July. So it’s actually been more than five months now. It’s going to be half a year until that citation (letter) basically would come,” Morrow said.

Morrow noted that a zoning hearing board decision in late May denied Weiler a zoning variance request that would have permitted him to use a portion of his farm property for the lumber business. He added that the denial stated that “the applicant shall have a period of 60 days commencing as of May 23, 2025 to liquidate its current lumber supply and wind down and terminate the business affairs of the lumber yard use of the property.”

Morrow said Lebanon attorney Colleen Gallo had contacted him in July enquiring if the township would extend the closure deadline to the end of December 2025, a request that was granted at the supervisors’ Aug. 14 meeting. However, in mid-December, Gallo requested another extension to “complete the subdivision process and transfer the lumber operation to a new location,” according to Morrow.

“I informed attorney Gallo that at this point, the board has a deadline of Dec. 31, 2025, that they voted upon in the meeting. And that it was my understanding that was what they were planning on sticking with,” he added.

“I guess the only concern that I would have is that this was originally agreed to be extended in mid-August. It’s now January. And I guess authorizing Jackie to send a letter would perhaps incentivize moving forward and moving on this as quickly as possible as they’re able to to get the lumber yard use off of the property,” Morrow said. “Honestly, at this point, I don’t want to sound like a tough guy for lack of a better term, but I know when the board decided to extend this in August … your response did not seem to be overly thrilled with going beyond that time.”

Fulton Bank ag lender James Tomanelli spoke on behalf of Weiler and said they are working toward moving the business to Bethel Township in Berks County. 

“They’re going through a small subdivision right now. It’s moving along nicely. Dale understands that he has a cease-and-desist (letter). So he went to the seller, got an agreement together to lease the business,” Tomanelli said. 

He added that Bethel Township (Berks) is waiting for one final drawing of the subdivision before issuing an occupancy permit. Given how close they are to receiving permission from the adjoining municipality, Tomanelli advised Weiler to request another 30-day extension to relocate from Lebanon County.  

“So it seemed like he was doing the right thing and I just thought it was prudent that I at least come in here and try to ask for an extension on his behalf. Hopefully for 30 days,” Tomanelli said. “Ideally, it is going to take him a sizable amount of time to move inventory and set up racking and get everything set (up).” 

He said Weiler is willing to give local officials an escrow “just to show the township that he is in fact serious and that he is looking to move his business. He just can’t move it at the time constraint that he was given, understanding everything that’s going on.”

Hollenbach, acting as township engineer at the meeting, noted that new product has been received and advertised per posts she’s seen on social media since the cease-and-desist letter was issued to Weiler.

Weiler responded after the vote that Facebook lists items as “new” when they are relisted, meaning he’s not been receiving new inventory. He also said before the vote that the past nine months have been a nightmare as he’s tried to purchase a place to move his business, adding he wants to be a good citizen in Lebanon County because he plans to remain on the farm and continue the dairy operation there.

It was noted at the zoning board hearing when Weiler sought a variance since importing lumber, as opposed to creating products from existing woodlands located onsite, is prohibited by a local ordinance concerning agricultural operations. Several of Weiler’s neighbors attended the zoning hearing in May to voice opposition to the number of lumber vehicles entering and leaving Weiler’s property.

Before casting his no vote, Brubaker noted he’s also a businessman and said he believes Weiler is attempting to move and that this kind of action can take more than nine months to complete. He added that he understands that letters have been issued informing Weiler to close his lumber operation. 

Board reorganizes

Richard Rudy was unanimously voted back as board chairman, while Mike Saphore was renamed vice chairman and township manager Melissa Johnson was selected to continue as township secretary/treasurer of the board.

Pennsylvania law requires municipal and school boards to hold annual (or biennial for boroughs) reorganization meetings in early December/January, with specific procedures for temporary officers, swearing-in new members (following RULONA rules), electing permanent officers (president, VP), and adhering to Sunshine Laws for public notice (newspaper/website).

Other actions included the following positions:  

• Chairman – Richard Rudy
• Vice Chairman – Michael Saphore
• Secretary/Treasurer – Melissa Johnson
• Township Solicitor – Andrew Morrow
• Township Engineer – Mack Engineering
• Traffic Engineer – Rettew Engineering
• Sewage Enforcement Officer – JB Environmental Services, LLC
• Roadmaster – Michael Saphore
• Right to Know Officer – Kathy Sherosky
• Vacancy Board Chairman – Elaine Ludwig
• Planning Commission – Dale Snader
• Zoning Hearing Board – Richard Rabuck, member; Dale Bevins, alternate
• Zoning Officer – Jackie Hollenbach
• Subdivision and Land Development Enforcement Officer – Mack Engineering
• Uniform Construction Code Officer – Light-Heigel Associates
• UCC Appeals Board – David Shanula, Shane Moyer, Randy Zeigler
• Ag Security Area Board – Dale Snader, Linford Snyder, Randy Zeigler, Lauren Stoner, David Brubaker (supervisor representative)
• Recreation Board – Lauren Snader; John Shireman, alternate (non-board representatives), and David Brubaker and Michael Saphore (board representatives)
• Employee Representative – Michael Saphore 
• Flood Plain Administrator – Jackie Hollenbach
• EMA Coordinator – Brianna Laliberte
• Fredericksburg Sewer & Water Authority – Kevin Helms; Thomas Demler (Swatara Township representative)
• FSWA – Richard Rudy (board representative)
• Tax Collection Committee – James Schotzberger; Jennifer Harding, alternate
• Delinquent Tax Collector – Lebanon County Tax Bureau (street lights, fire hydrant tax); GH Harris Associates (Occupational Privilege Tax)
• Warrant for Tax Collector/Municipal Taxes – AnnMarie Boltz
• CDL Contact – Melissa Johnson
• PSATS Convention Voting Delete – Richard Rudy
• Chief Administrative Officer (township pension plan) – Richard Rudy

Other township business

In other business, supervisors unanimously voted to: 

• Table a waiver request from Bell & Evans for required sidewalks for the Cook Facility project to permit the poultry producer to submit a plan. 
• Provide a time extension request to Bell & Evans for the Legionaire Drive project until March 20.
• Authorize a time extension request to April 18 for the Michele Grumbine agricultural project.
• Permit a time extension for the Jeff Brubaker project on Golf Road.
• Approve the Jay and Miriam Weaver plan for a project on Pleasant Drive.
• Pay invoices totaling $28,920.78 in the general fund and $3,578.44 for the street light fund.
• Approve the financial report in the amount of $136,677.16 in the general fund as of Dec. 31, among other township funds.
• Attend the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors’ annual Educational Conference and Trade Show from April 19-22 at a cost of $199 per person. Authorized to attend are the supervisors, township manager, administrative assistant, and chairman of the township planning commission, plus hourly wage reimbursements to the township manager, administrative assistant, and supervisors.
• Renew for 2026 the COSTARS with certifications for road materials with the commonwealth. 
• Accept C.M. High Inc.’s traffic signal maintenance proposal for 2026 totaling $1,400.
• Table an agenda item concerning three elected auditor vacancies.
• Table the Greenview Tractor Pavement Expansion waiver request concerning stormwater management for that project.
• Agree to the release of $371.25 to James and Francis Hoover for a project at 1103 Greble Road.
• Accept the roadmaster report.
• Appoint new and/or reaffirm employers, the supervisors as township employees, and their respective duties. 
• Approve the minutes of their Dec. 30 end-of-year special meeting.
• Set the employee expenditure limit at $200 per purchase with the submission of a required purchase order.
• Authorize Johnson to pay payroll and other invoices between meetings. 
• Authorize the supervisors and township manager to be authorized signers for the township’s three financial institutions.
• Rename First Citizens Bank, Fulton Bank and PLGIT as the township’s financial institutions.
• Approve the township treasurer’s/manager bond at $3 million for 2026.
• Grant an Agricultural Security Area application for Elvin & Lenna Martin and Joseph & Dawn Detweiler for property at 65 Halteman Lane.
• Set the mileage rate for employees for 2026 at the Internal Revenue Service rate of 72.5 cents per mile. 

Next meeting

Bethel Township supervisors meet the second Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at the township building, 3015 S. Pine Grove St., Fredericksburg. The next scheduled meeting is on Feb. 12 at 7 p.m.