Walnutport advised to hire borough manager

A Walnutport resident has pined for the municipality to hire a borough manager.

Resident Ron Bauer Jr. recommended to borough council at Thursday’s workshop session that it investigate the concept.

“As a taxpayer, I think council should consider hiring a manager,” Bauer said. “I think council might want to consider researching a manager.”

However, Mayor Wayne Weidner disagreed with Bauer’s suggestion.

“Back in the ’80s, we had a borough manager,” Weidner said. “It did not work.”

Further, Weidner said that the borough has a grant coordinator in place who has secured many grants for the municipality over the years.

“We would have to pay so much money for a borough manager,” he said.

Based on the council meetings he’s attended, Bauer said he believes a borough manager would serve to bring accountability.

“It seems like communication seems to be the issue,” he said. “Communication has to get better.”

Council President William Turk assured Bauer the town has made huge strides since it last had a borough manager over three decades ago.

“In 30 years, this town became a town, not a dump like it was (back then),” Turk said. “Believe me, I know where we were.”