Monthly Business

The Halifax Township Board of Supervisors held its monthly business meeting on July 10, 2023, with all four supervisors present: Chairman Kenneth Bechtel, Brad Bruner, Randy Paul, and Steve Schreffler. The meeting was marked by a shakeup in the road department — a resignation and a contested new hire — and a land development plan that required the chairman to step aside due to a personal conflict of interest. Three executive sessions on personnel matters had been held in the weeks leading up to the meeting.

• Bechtel Farms Land Development Plan approved (3-0-1). Because the plan is owned by Chairman Kenneth Bechtel, Vice-Chairman Brad Bruner took over the chair for this portion of the meeting. The board granted two SALDO waivers — waiving the preliminary plan procedure (Section 404) and curb/sidewalk requirements (Sections 606/607), with the condition that curbs and sidewalks will be installed if the township requires them in the future. The full plan was then approved subject to engineering conditions from HRG, Inc. Kenneth Bechtel abstained from both votes to avoid a conflict of interest.
• Roadmaster Tim Belk resigned; Colton Warfel hired as road crew member (3-1). The board unanimously accepted the roadmaster's resignation, then approved hiring Colton Warfel at $23.50/hour with a $310/month health stipend and $25/month phone stipend. Kenneth Bechtel cast the lone opposing vote, arguing the road department had run smoothly with two employees for years and did not need a third — though he noted he had originally suggested Warfel as a candidate and welcomed him to the township.
• National Night Out declined. The board decided Halifax Township would not participate in National Night Out, stating they did not see a benefit for the township.
• Matamoras Road stormwater issue addressed. Mark and Mrs. Strohecker reported stormwater runoff onto their property on Matamoras Road. The board agreed to have township employees divert the stormwater to resolve the problem.
• Solar ordinance review ongoing. The Planning Commission began a detailed review of a draft solar ordinance at its July 5 meeting; no board action was taken.
• Employee Manual gaps identified. The board discovered that the Employee Manual lacks job descriptions despite being indexed for them, and directed that descriptions be prepared for the August meeting.
• COG UCC Board of Appeals expanded. Berrysburg Borough and Jim Facinelli were each approved to join the regional Uniform Construction Code Board of Appeals.
• Fort Halifax Park requests granted. Thomas Wilk received permission to place memorial flowers in the park, and the Susquehanna River Trail Association was approved to install a freestanding post with a camping sign rather than nailing it to a tree.