2 new commissioners take their oath of office
Volunteers and consultants are appointed for 2020
Commissioners Deborah Zimmerman and Greg Lees were formally sworn in during the board’s Jan. 6 meeting.
HATFIELD TWP >> For the next four years, two new names will be among the five called at the start of each Hatfield Township commissioners meeting.
“If you would lead us in the roll call?” said board President Tom Zipfel.
“Commissioner Andris. Commissioner Lees. Commissioner Rodgers. Commissioner Zimmerman. Commissioner Zipfel,” township Manager Aaron Bibro replied, reading the names of the two newest board members alongside their three new colleagues.
Commissioners Deborah Zimmerman and Greg Lees were formally sworn in during the board’s Jan. 6 reorganization meeting, taking their oaths from district judges Andrea Duffy and Ed Levine respectively. Both were elected last November to four-year terms running through 2023, and both received their oaths before a meeting room packed with family and friends before taking seats next to their fellow commissioners, and taking part in their first roll call and meeting.
“I’l start off by saying, you should all come back often. Sometimes it gets a little lonely in this room,” Zipfel said, joking about the large crowd.
Following the roll call, the two new commissioners led the crowd in the pledge of allegiance, then township Solicitor Christen Pionzio took the gavel from Zipfel to field nominations for board president.
“I have so many motions in mind,” Pionzio joked, before asking for nominations.
Zipfel was then nominated to lead the board by commissioner Bob Rodgers, with no other candidates or opposition, and was formally ratified by a unanimous vote. Zipfel then took back the gavel, and thanked his fellow commissioners for continuing his term in the center seat into a new decade.
“I’ve served in the position for a while, and it means a lot to me that they would trust me to continue to run things in this manner,” he said.
“We make decisions together, and we govern together. My only distinction, really, is running the meetings,” he said.
The board’s next formal action was to name a new vice president, to take the spot of former commissioner Larry Hughes, who was defeated at the ballot box by Zimmerman in November. Zipfel nominated Rodgers to that position, and the rest of the board agreed unanimously.
Two subsequent motions approved an updated employment contract with Bibro, and reappointed several township officials and consultants: finance director Dave Bernhauser to be board treasurer; law firm Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin P.C. to be solicitor; Eckert Seamans LLC as labor solicitor; CKS Engineers Inc. as engineer; Ken Amey as planning and zoning officer; McCloskey & Faber P.C. as landscape architect; and McMahon and Associates as traffic engineer.
Another motion formalized a series of appointments to various volunteer township boards and commissions, as follows:
Industrial Development Authority — Sydney Brittin, of Winston Street, for a term running through 2024.
North Penn Health, Hospital and Education Authority — Les Brown, of Foster Road, through 2024.
Hatfield Township Municipal Authoirty — Ralph Harvey, of Line Lexington Road, through 2024.
Parks and Recreation board — Dan Brasch of School Road and Jeff Wert of Downing Drive, both through 2024.
Planning commission — Charlie Guttenplan of Oak Drive and Bill Allen of Brighton Drive, both through 2023.
Pool advisory board — Sandie Musoleno of Forest Hills Drive, through 2022.
Vacancy board chairman — David Kresge of MacArthur Drive, through 2020.
Zoning hearing board — Dan Kerr, of Trewigtown Road, through 2022.
“We always say, to be a volunteer you have to be a combination of committed, and a little bit crazy. We appreciate their commitment, and your willingness to serve,” said Zipfel.
Hatfield’s commissioners next meet at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 22 at the township administration building, 1950 School Road.