Upper Mac Supervisors To Advertise Open Position

Upper Macungie Township supervisors voted Thursday night to advertise the soon-to-be-open position of Director of Community Development, which will be vacated by the retirement of Bruce Wlazelek later this year.

However, supervisors were quick to point out that the unanimous vote doesn't mean Wlazelek's position will be filled quickly following his retirement in approximately five months.

"We're doing due diligence at this point," said supervisor chairman Edward Earley.

The topic sparked a last month as supervisors disagreed on whether the position actually needs to be filled. 

"We're going to put feelers out to see what type of qualified people are out there. Any good business does that," said supervisor Sam Ashmar. "We're not saying that by doing this that we're going to fill the position."

Last month, Ashmar took the position that the Director of Community Development job didn't need to be filled immediately. Meanwhile, supervisor Kathy Rader was adamant in her desire to start screening potential applicants as soon as possible.

Elsewhere, the board directed solicitor Andrew Schantz to craft a letter to the Berks-Regional Police Commission stating its position concerning the soon-to-expire charter.

Upper Macungie Township currently pays more than $2.6 million for police protection from the . The three other Berks County municipalities covered by the department -- Maxatawny Township, Topton Borough and Lyons Borough -- pay significantly less.

Supervisors want voting rights that are commensurate with the amount of money the township pays versus  the amounts the smaller towns and boroughs shell out. Currently, each municipality has a 25 percent voting interest. The current charter was originally crafted in 2002. 

"The charter is not palatable at that rate," Ashmar said. "If it's truly a regional police department, there should be a weighted vote."

Earley admitted that the issue is a complicated matter.

"It's not that we don't want to be neighborly," he said. "But, our job is to represent Upper Macungie Township and our main concern must be Upper Macungie Township."

The charter expires at year-end and can be extended while negotiations continue.

The board reminded those in attendance that it will hold a public hearing Thursday, June 9 at 6 p.m. concerning proposed changes to the and the Jaindl Land Co.