Polk Township holds reorganization meeting
Brian K. Ahner will serve Polk Township as chairman for another year, and Michael D. Hurley will serve again as vice chairman. Hurley was re-elected in November to serve through 2023. Supervisor Carl Heckman was elected to a two-year term and will serve through 2019. Ahner is scheduled to serve through 2021.
Ahner will also continue as the full-time township roadmaster. His salary is set yearly by the township auditors. His wife receives health insurance as part of his employment benefits. His hourly rate in 2017 was $24.50.
Supervisors will be paid $50 per meeting, not to exceed $2,500 per year. Supervisors Hurley and Heckman will be paid $100 per day to attend the PSATS Convention in April.
Ruthanne Toner will continue to serve as secretary to the board at a rate of $19.38 per hour. She will now also serve as the township’s Right-to-Know officer.
Beverly Christman will continue as treasurer at $17.34 per hour, and Gerald Zurat will continue as zoning and codes enforcement officer through Jan. 31 at the same rate of pay as last year.
Zurat is being replaced by Justin Burker who was hired at $20 per hour with no benefits requested.
Additional administrative part-time employees Mary Beth Serfass earns $13.00 per hour, Rebecca Tippett and Abigail Marushak each earn $12.50 per hour. Part-time employees do not receive benefits.
Union employees will continue to be paid per the last three-year contract agreement with Teamster Local 773 since they are currently in renegotiations with the township.
Full-time employees will receive mileage reimbursement of $0.545 per mile when on township business in personal vehicles, 12 paid holidays, five paid sick days, and paid vacation as determined by length of employment and other benefits such as medical, disability and retirement.
Roadcrew workers who attend township meetings will receive $15 per meeting and receive a $350 clothing allowance.
Ellen Gnandt, MBS, CPA, LLC was reappointed as accountant for the township at a rate of $80 per hour.
Township solicitors for the years will be James Fareri for supervisors at $150 per hour, Jerry Hanna as counsel to the planning commission at a rate of $125 per hour. Dave Martino will advise the zoning hearing board at a rate of $145 per hour.
Township engineer will remain Russell Kresge Jr. at a rate of $100 per hour plus expenses and mileage.
The township will use John Blick as commercial and residential building inspector at a rate of $55 per hour. Jeff Wilkens will fill in as alternate residential building inspector at a rate of $50 per hour.
Jonathan Shupp will be sewage enforcement officer at $60 per hour. Scott Policelli will serve as alternate under his current fee schedule.
Christman will serve as delegate to the Monroe County Tax Collection Committee. Alternate will be Shirley Haydt.
Gary Bruch will chair the vacancy board.
Harold Touni Sr. and Thomas Milewski were reappointed as zoning hearing board members. Carl Scarscone and Dwight Christman were appointed to a one-year term.
Planning commission members are Carl Heckman, Michael Hurley, Mark Giunta, Rick Courtright and Gary Bruch.
AG Security Board members are Carl Heckman, Dennis Smale, Bryan Baumgartner, Dominick Strohlein, Dwight Christman and Robert Serfass.
Primary emergency responders remain the West End Ambulance and Polk Volunteer Fire Company, with Billy Tippett as fire chief and Derrick Burger as president. Emergency management coordinator is Barry Borger.
Veterans Memorial Commission members are Blanche Strausberger, Connie Haydt, Joan McKinsey and Sally Jablonski.
Earned Income Tax collector is Berkheimer. Key Bank, East Stroudsburg Savings and PLGIT are township depositories.
The elected Real Estate Tax collector is Carolyn Meinhart through 2021. Auditors are Susan Shupp, Lucille Piggot Prawl and Shirley Haydt.
Polk Township nature park caretaker is Delbert Zacharias.
A new parks and rec cCommittee was formed. Heckman, Toner and John Muir were appointed to form the committee.
