286 LOWER PAXTON TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Minutes of the meeting held on March 4, 2025 A meeting of the Lower Paxton Township Board ofSupervisors was called to order at 7:02 p.m. by Secretary Navarro on the above date at the Lower Paxton Township Municipal Center, 425 Prince Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The supervisors present, in addition to Mr. Navarro, were Pamela Thompson and Allen J. McCormack. Also in attendance were Bradley Gotshall, Township Manager; Sam Miller, Assistant Township Manager/Finance Director; Amanda Zerbe, Director of Community Development; and Morgan M. Madden, Solicitor, who was available via teleconference. Pledge of Allegiance Ms. Thompson led the Pledge of Allegiance. Announcements Mr. Navarro announced that the Supervisors had met in an executive session before the meeting to discuss personnel issues, and they would not be meeting again afterward. Action to Accept the Resignation of Chris Judd from the Board of Supervisors Mr. McCormack read Mr. Judd's letter of resignation into the record as follows: "Due to a recent health challenge and other commitments, I must step down as Lower Paxton Township Supervisor and end my 15-year career ofpublic service. The administration and employees are decent, hard-working people, and along with the Board of Supervisors, they do difficult, ofen thankless work. I thank them now. I will miss working with each and every one ofyou, and I leave knowing our Township is in good hands. 1 Ms. Thompson motioned to accept Chris Judd's resignation from the Board of Supervisors. Mr. McCormack seconded the motion. Mr. Navarro called for a voice vote, and the vote was unanimous. 1 287 Action to Fill a Vacancy on the Board of Supervisors and Administration of Oath ofOffice Mr. Navarro opened the nominations to fill the vacancy on the Board of Supervisors, left by Robin Lindsey's resignation. Ms. Thompson nominated Timothy Pramik to fill the vacancy on the Board ofs Supervisors. Mr. McCormack nominated Laura Kurtz to fill the vacancy. Mr. Navarro closed the nominations. Mr. Navarro made a motion to appoint Laura Kurtz to fill the vacancy on the Board of Supervisors. Mr. McCormack seconded the motion. Mr. Navarro called for a voice vote, and the vote was 2:1, with Ms. Thompson opposed. Ms. Thompson asked Morgan Madden, Solicitor, to weigh in on the vote because, as she understood, a vote on a three-member board must be unanimous. Ms. Madden answered, "No, there must be a majority vote.' I Ms. Thompson read the following statement: "Good evening; I am aiming for a change ofpace this evening as we conduct these proceedings with dignity and civility. Though we disagree professionally and politically, I think we all agree that we care about each other as humans. So, to my elected colleagues on this dais, I extend my hand to you both and join you in wishing SupervisorJudd well as he recuperates. Like most ofyou in this room, I've had the chance to reflect during our week offfrom these public meetings and gained some new insights in doing this search to appoint ai new interim Supervisor to this Board. What stuck out to me was that this Board has dealt with enormous pressure; the emails that we. received and the text exchanges that we have struggled to keep up with can be relieved by our adoption of a formal and structured process to consider and appoint interim Supervisors when vacancies arise. Previous to my service to this Board, I spent many, years as a professional educator. I had to evaluate and provide student feedback that was both consistent and equitable while also considering each student 's unique skills and abilities. This evening, Iwould like to share with my colleagues the metrics Iused in selecting my top three candidates to consiterforappomtment to. fill the vacancy caused by Robin Lindsey's departure. This is a stopgap measure that can be fine-tuned over time. In the future, I would also like to incorporate some oft the best practices that our counterparts in Susquehanna, Swatara, and the Borough of Carlisle are utilizing. However, for the purpose oft this evening, I won't be posting the rubric on the screen. Ifollowed the rubric when evaluating the individuals who spoke with me, and I. spoke with 16. Please note that the applicant 's partisan affiliation is not a consideration in this rubric. You have all heard me say multiple times that my major concern is the loss of21 % years ofexperience without Norm and Robin on this Board. Therefore, my experience in municipal settings significantly influences my selection ofthe top three applicants to. fill the vacancy. They are Katherin Scheib, Dr. Charles Stuart, and Mr. Timothy Pramik. 2 288 Mr. Navarro said that he has hired a lot of people, and this was the hardest decision he has had to make. He doesn't have a rubric, but there are several factors that contribute to it, including looking ahead to what's coming. He doesn't think it's fair to discuss the candidates, nor is it fair to have people come up and discuss their qualifications because it's never been done, nor has it been asked. Still, people have said that it needs to be done. It's not an election; if these people are going to be elected, they must run for office, and there's a new vacancy on the Board that must be filled. He asked everyone who had been interviewed ifthey were willing to stay for the next vacancy, and everyone said yes. All but one person was willing to run for the position. He thanked all the applicants for their time. Mrs. Thompson questioned why the Honorable Judge Wenner was present. Mr. Navarro explained that the Judge is present to swear in whoever the Board appointed to the position. Ms. Thompson objected, noting that Judge Wenner stated that he was asked to attend the meeting to administer the Oath of Office to Laura Kurtz. The Supervisors didn't meet until 6:01 p.m. to hash it all out and she wanted to know how he had known to arrive ahead oft time because she assumed the Board's secretary would administer the Oath ofOffice. Mr. Navarro stated that he didn't decide up front. Mr. McCormack stated that he followed a different process, which is not the same one Ms. Thompson followed. There were 16 applicants; he interviewed 14 of them, asked the same questions to all, and evaluated their responses. He was pleased and proud of the quality and quantity of people who applied to be appointed; this was not an easy decision. During the executive session, they listed their top three, and his top three were different from Ms. Thompson's top three. She supported her candidate, while he advocated for another person based on their resume and the interviews ofthe 14 applicants. 3 289 Mr. McCormack noted that 16 people applied, but two ofthem withdrew from consideration. He thought Ms. Kurtz was the best choice based on her breadth of experience and education. Mr. Navarro agreed, noting that if Ms. Kurtz chooses to do SO, her resume can be placed online for everyone to see. Clearly, she is very qualified, but again, they aren't going to discuss people's resumes. The Honorable Judge Wenner administered the Oath of Office to Laura B. Kurtz, and she was sworn into office. Approval of Minutes Mr. McCormack motioned to approve the minutes from the regular business meeting held on December 3, 2024, and the budget workshop meeting held on December 10, 2024. Ms. Thompson seconded the motion. Mr. Navarro called for a voice vote, and a unanimous vote approved the meeting minutes. Public Comment Jeannie Gray, 2652 Gracie Drive, read comments about her 22 years of experience as an employee and the governing ofthe Township. Reverend Scott Siciliano, 704 Drexel Rd., welcomed Laura Kurtz to the Board and wished her well. He expressed concern and disappointment in how the candidate was chosen. Last week, the Board promised that those present would have transparency in the selection process. The residents voted for the elected officials into office, and they deserve and need to trust the processes that take place. Rev. Siciliano noted that there was no opportunity for public comment before the supervisors decided and the new candidates were sworn into office, and that is not acceptable. 4 290 Mr. Navarro agreed with Rev. Siciliano and explained that it's rare to have someone appointed to the Board in this fashion, but it's standard in Pennsylvania. Any changes must go through the legislature, which is a lengthy process. Mr. McCormack agreed with Mr. Navarro and commented on the selection process and the application's availability to the public. He remarked that our form of government is a representative republic; it's not a true democracy. Not everyone in the Township voted for the applicant to be the Supervisor. Still, rather the current members of the Board, who represent the people, and it's a long-standing tradition in the nation, state, and Township. Jay Purdy, 4731 Duke St., welcomed Ms. Kurtz to the Board. He commented about his tenure as a supervisor back in the 1990s, noting that Jeannie Gray was the secretary. He said Lowman Henry was a supervisor at the time and he was appointed as a County Commissioner, and a vacancy was left on the Board that had to be filled. Back then, the remaining Supervisors interviewed at least three of the applicants together. Those Board members included himself, David Blain, Gary Crissman, and Mr. Rice. They chose Gary Crissman as the Supervisor, and there was a process for doing that. He asked the Supervisors if they had the opportunity to meet with all the candidates before making the decision because Tim Pramik had applied, and Tim has decades of volunteer experience with the Township. Mr. Miller announced that Tim Pramik has accepted a nomination to join the Authority Board. He said Mr. Pramik is going to be a good asset to the Authority Board. Mr. Navarro added that he interviewed Mr. Pramik and supports him as well. He added that there is another vacancy on the Board. Mr. McCormack asked Mr. Purdy ifthe former Supervisors had interviewed applicants at aj public meeting because, as he understood the Sunshine Act, ift three Supervisors come together 5 291 to conduct business, it must be a public meeting. Mr. Purday suggested that Mr. McCormack look at the Township records, noting that ifit wasn't a public meeting, then it was a formal executive session. Eric Kessler of Running Pump Farm announced that he has known the Board members for a long time, as he has been a real estate developer for over 40 years. He asked Mr. Gotshall about a position he had applied for in Brentwood, Tennessee, noting that he was concerned the manager was looking for another position. He wanted to know what the Board plans to do when Mr. Gotshall leaves. He asked the Supervisors ifthey plan to give Mr. Gotshall a one-year severance package. Mr. Navarro noted that the subject is a personnel matter. Chairman and Board Members' Comments Mr. McCormack announced that he was disappointed about Mr. Judd's medical difficulties. He stated that Mr. Judd's doctor had recommended that he step down from his position. He wished Mr. Judd the very best and thanked him for his service. Mr. McCormack stated that he was pleased with the number and quality ofapplicants for the vacancy. Ms. Thompson asked Mr. Navarro and Ms. Madden (via teleconference) if the Townshiplownshp would be posting vacancies on the Board immediately. Ms. Madden explained that the Board has 30 days from the effective date of the vacancy, which is the date of the resignation letter. Ms. Thompson suggested that the Supervisors work to streamline the application process and make it clear because some people were confused about what they needed to submit. She provided several scenarios oft the information that was sent to the Supervisors. 6 292 Mr. McCormack agreed with Ms. Thompson, noting that a letter ofinterest, resume, and application are the best possible scenarios; however, it's in their best interest to interview all applicants, even ifthey only receive a letter ofinterest, etc. Laura Kurtz thanked the other Supervisors for having faith in her and her background and experience, as she holds a PhD in Public Administration and an attorney practicing Public Finance. She works with local governments every day and hopes to gain the trust and confidence oft the community. Ms. Kurtz promised to always do her best. Ms. Thompson announced that the Township Supervisors are members of the Pennsylvania Association ofTownship Supervisors (PSATS), and she had just received a message from Robin Lindsey, who was watching the meeting. The message came from PSATS: the vote requires a three-way majority, and it can be challenged, and it will be. Manager's Report There was none. Old Business There was none. New Business Action to Award a Contract for the Friendship Center Detention Basin Retrofits Project Mr. McCormack motioned to award the Friendship Center Detention Basin Retrofit Project to Final Grade Excavation, LLC for $185,313.90, contingent upon the Solicitor's review. Ms. Thompson seconded the motion. Mr. Navarro called for a voice vote, and a unanimous vote ofa approval followed. 7 293 Action to Reject All Bids for the Lower Paxton Fuel Facility Replacement Project Contract Mr. McCormack motioned to reject the Bids for the Lower Paxton Fuel Facility Replacement Project. Ms. Thompson seconded the motion. Mr. Navarro called for a voice vote, and a unanimous vote of approval followed. Subdivision and Land Development Action to Approve a Preliminary/Final Land Development Plan for a Religious Temple at 605 Rutherford Road (Plan #24-19) Mrs. Zerbe presented the Preliminary/Final Land Development Plan for a Religious Temple at 605 Rutherford Road, noting that the Zoning Hearing Board granted the developer a Special Exception to construct a place of worship in an R-1 Residential District and three Variances on September 26, 2024. The applicant received the following Variances: the requirement that any wall or fence in a buffer yard shall be placed on the inside (nonresidential side) of any required plant screening; a monument sign shall not be installed in a residential district, and a Variance ofthe requirement that the Minimum building setback from a lot line of an existing dwelling in a residential district is 60 feet. There were three waiver requests, one deferral, five Administrative comments, and four General comments that must be addressed before recording the plan. Rob LaPlaca, Civil Engineer at Progressive Companies, was present to answer questions about the deferral request, variances, and plan. Mr. McCormack motioned to approve the Preliminary/Final Land Development Plan for al Religious Temple at 605 Rutherford. Ms. Kurtz seconded the motion. Mr. Navarro called for a voice vote, and the results were as follows: Mr. McCormack aye, Mr. Navarro aye, Ms. Kurtz aye, and Ms. Thompson nay. The plan was approved with a 3:1 vote of approval. 8 294 Action to Adopt Resolution 2025-03; Approving a PA DEP Sewage Facilities Planning Module for (Plan #24-19) Ms. Thompson motioned to adopt Resolution 2025-03, which approves the PA DEP Sewage Facilities Planning Module for Plan #24-19. Mr. McCormack seconded the motion. Mr. Navarro called for a voice vote, and a unanimous vote of approval followed. Improvement Guarantees Ms. Thompson motioned to approve the Improvement Guarantee for Autumn Oaks Phase IIA- Extension. Mr. McCormack seconded the motion. Mr. Navarro called for a voice vote, and a unanimous vote of approval followed. Payment of Bills - Lower Paxton Township & Lower Paxton Township Authority Ms. Thompson motioned to pay the bills for Lower Paxton Township and the Lower Paxton Township Authority. Mr. McCormack seconded the motion. Mr. Navarro called for a voice vote, which resulted in a unanimous vote of approval. Announcements Ms. Thompson announced that State Representative Justin Fleming will host the Scam Jam program on Friday, March 7, 2025, from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the Friendship Senior Center. This event is free, and registration is recommended. Residents can call (717) 231-1172 for more information. Additionally, the Dauphin County Commissioners are hosting an Explore Wildwood Park litter cleanup event on Saturday, March 8, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Wildwood Park; registration is required. Mr. Navarro announced the next Board workshop meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. 9 295 Adjournment Ms. Thompson motioned to adjourn the meeting, and Mr. McCormack seconded the motion. Mr. Navarro called for a voice vote, and the meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Approved by, lhubk fhlana waf Shellie Smith, Yuhanna Njeim, Recording Secretary Secretary 10