The annual winter meeting of the Lehigh County Association of Township Officials was held Feb. 7 at the Schnecksville Fire Company.

Township officials from Lehigh County experiences a brief respite from the daily drudgery of plowing snow and salting when they attended the annual winter meeting of the Lehigh County Association of Township Officials at the Schnecksville Fire Company.

Approximately 50 people braved the cold weather to converse with fellow township officials and to trade winter stories.

The PSATS Youth Award was presented to Girl Scout Junior Troop 637 by James Wheeler, director of environmental affairs for that organization.

The Troop meets at Chestnut United Church of Christ, Coopersburg.

The award was presented for their service project, making fruit baskets from grocery bags and filling them with fruit donated by local grocers.

Close to 50 baskets were donated to Betty Lou's Food Pantry for Christmas 2012.

Becky Bradley, executive director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, gave a presentation on the status of the Lehigh Valley. She said Upper Macungie Township is the fastest growing township of the second class in Lehigh County followed by Upper Saucon and North Whitehall.

Bradley also touted the programs available from the LVPC directed specifically for townships of the second class.

State Sen. Pat Browne, R-16th, addressed the audience with recent updates of interest to township officials.

He elaborated on the recently passed transportation bill and its effect on second class townships.

State Rep's Gary Day, R-187th, and Ryan Mackenzie, R-134th, also gave short talks on state legislation and initiatives relative to townships.

When it came time to elect the officers for the coming year, a motion was made to retain the current officers with the addition of Brian Carl of Weisenberg Township for the vacant position of second vice president.

The assemblage voted in favor of this motion.

The slate of officers is Kathy Rader, Upper Macungie Township, president; Rick Hughes, Lowhill Township, first vice president; Brian Carl, Weisenberg Township, second vice president; Janice Meyers, Heidelberg Township, secretary and Brenda Norder, North Whitehall Township, treasurer.

Wheeler gave a legislative update to the audience.

He expounded on the services available from PSATS to help local government.

He described how resolutions voted on at the annual convention in Hershey make their way through the process and eventually end up as a piece of legislation.