West Lebanon Township commissioners accept township manager’s resignation

This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.

At their June 1 meeting, the West Lebanon Township commissioners unanimously moved to accept Antoinette Issis’ resignation from the township manager position, effective Monday, June 8.

Issis has served the township in some capacity since 2015 and will continue to work there part-time, including for the water department.

West Lebanon Township is now searching for a new manager, and commissioners have several candidates for the position in mind. Jeffrey Clarke told LebTown that applications for the position were not being accepted as of the meeting.

Ahead of the 2027 budget, commissioners are considering retirement plan options for full-time, nonuniformed municipal employees, with one option being West Lebanon Township contributing a certain percentage toward employees’ Roth IRA accounts.

Commissioners unanimously moved to adopt Resolution 2026-08, which adopts a contract between West Lebanon Township and Casella Waste Management for recycling and solid waste pickup, with a start date of July 1.

Commissioners unanimously moved to adopt Resolution 2026-09, which appoints Clarke and Michelle Testerman as representatives from West Lebanon Township to the Fire and Emergency Service Steering Committee.

The steering committee features representatives from several Lebanon County municipalities who work to gather information on the potential for joint delivery of fire and emergency services.

Speedwell Engine & Hose Fire Company is considering purchasing a Ford F-550 XLT, 4×4, crew cab, DRW, chassis fire apparatus. The chassis is estimated to cost $83,000, and the total, including the chassis, upfit, and required certificates, is estimated to cost $480,000.

Justin Snyder said the fire company is choosing a smaller option to better suit the township’s smaller developments, alleys, and tunnel.

Thanks to a $1,000 donation, the Speedwell fire company purchased a $1,600 soda vending machine, which will be situated outside the fire company. The fire company owns the machine, purchases the inventory, operates it, and receives the profit from it.

As the meeting’s sole visitors’ address, township EMA coordinator Brianna Laliberte advised commissioners that the FEMA Review Council’s final report has been released. She said there will be a restructuring of FEMA, which will increase the responsibility of emergency management on the state, county, and municipal levels.

She plans to update commissioners as she knows more about what this will mean for West Lebanon Township moving forward.

Laliberte also advised commissioners that Pennsylvania Title 35 Chapter 73 and Chapter 75 could be updated, thanks to the passing of Pennsylvania Senate Resolution 177.

In other news, commissioners unanimously moved to:

• Approve the May 4 meeting minutes.
• Approve the committee reports, including the treasurer’s report, police report, which included 1,463 calls, Speedwell fire company report, highway report, which included Norfolk Southern’s completion of repairs on the railroad crossing on 16th Street, water report, which included the replacement of well pump #2, sewer report, storm sewer report, which included the addition of cement on the storm sewer grates along Lehman Street between 22nd and 24th streets where the storm sewer liner was installed, township buildings report, recreation report, which included the completion of sealing the pavement and painting the pickleball court and the start of work on the gaga pit, public safety report, green waste report, zoning report, and finance report, which included the payment of the township’s bills.

West Lebanon Township will meet next on Monday, July 6, at 7 p.m., at the municipal building at 322 N. 22nd St., Lebanon. Meetings are streamed on Zoom and can be accessed through a link posted to the website before the meeting.