Nine seek vacant seat

LOWER FREDERICK » Nine people were publicly interviewed Tuesday night for a vacancy on the township board of supervisors.

The vacancy was created by the resignation of supervisors’ Chairman Bob Yoder.

Although his resignation was announced at the May 1 meeting, and post-dated to April 30, it was not until Tuesday night that Yoder’s resignation was officially accepted, according to Township Manager Kevin Tobias.

As a result, the board — now comprised of only Terry Sacks and Marla Hexter — has 30 days to pick a replacement for Yoder.

They certainly won’t lack for choices.

Tobias said the following applicants were interviewed in front of a crowd of about 20 to 25 people:

• Bill McGovern;

• Noelle Halter;

• Dan Orfe;

• Warren Jacobs;

• Ron Kerwood;

• Rachel Hendricks;

• Charles Liedike;

• Linda Jansson;

• Bryan Hill. Kerwood was a township supervisor until he was defeated in his reelection bid by Hexter in November.

In 2016, Hendricks ran unsuccessfully for the 147th district seat in the state House of Representatives currently held by Republican Marcy Toepel.

According to an article in The Schwenksville Post, McGovern is a member of the township planning commission and announced his interest in the seat the same night Yoder’s resignation was announced.

McGovern is also the chairman of the zoning hearing board, and Hill is a member of that board as well, according to the township web site.

Jansson is a regular member of the audience at many township meetings, asks many questions and frequently appears in meeting minutes.

Jacobs is a member of the township’s parks and recreation board.

The vote on appointing Yoder’s replacement is scheduled to take place at the June 5 meeting, Tobias said.

If Hexter and Sacks cannot agree on a candidate, the board has another 15 days to convene the vacancy board, which consists of Hexter, Sacks and Vacancy Board Chairman Loren Szcsensy and another series of votes will be taken to select a new supervisor.