For the first time in several years, Salisbury Township has a finance director whose duties are not split with managing the day-to-day affairs of the township.

Salisbury Township Finance Director Paul Ziegenfus was introduced to the board of commissioners and the public at the Aug. 10 township meeting in the municipal building.

Ziegenfus succeeds Cathy Bonaskiewich, who was appointed Salisbury Township Manager April 1. For approximately the past two years, she had the dual role of assistant township manager and finance director. Her duties as assistant manager were added to her role as finance director about four years ago.

Ziegenfus, a Salisbury Township resident, was chosen from among 30 applicants. The township advertised the job in April in the Lehigh Valley and on the website of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Government Finance Officers Association.

“I am very happy and excited to have Mr. Paul Ziegenfus join the staff at Salisbury Township in his new role of finance director,” Bonaskiewich said in an email response to a reporter for The Press.

“He [Ziegenfus] has an extensive background in the accounting and financial field and I was very impressed with the level of experience and knowledge he shared during the interview process. I think he’ll be a welcome addition and a good fit and I very much look forward to welcoming him on board.”

Ziegenfus’s salary is $79,000 annually, which is bit higher than the typical $74,000 starting salary for the position in the township “based on what I saw as his capabilities and examples of his work,” according to Bonaskiewich.

There was discussion in fall 2016 of adding a human resources director as a new township position.

While Ziegenfus’s title does not include the title of human resources director, Bonaskiewich said, “Human resources matters are part of the finance director position,” adding this would not include evaluations, but would include personnel-related matters, insurances and pension plans. “That’s what he will need to be in charge of,” she said.

In his email response to The Press, Ziegenfus said, “During my entire childhood, I grew up on the East Side of Allentown with my parents, Carl and Sarah Ziegenfus, and my sister Holly Ziegenfus.

“I am a graduate of Dieruff High School, Class of 1995. I attended Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania, and received my Bachelors of Science in accounting in 1999.

“I started out working in audit and tax for two different CPA firms. For the last five years, I was the finance director at Valley Youth House, a nonprofit agency dedicated to helping youth and families in more than 13 counties in Eastern Pennsylvania. I worked as finance director for the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence for seven years. I have a passion to help those that are less fortunate.

“I am married for 18 years to Kelly Ziegenfus and have four children, three girls and a boy. I am a resident of Salisbury Township for the last four years. In my free time, I enjoy golf, volleyball and reading.

“I love to coach youth sports (soccer and basketball) and I am the director of the basketball program for Salisbury Youth Association.

“Salisbury is a wonderful community full of dedicated, caring individuals. I am excited to be working for the township and look forward to serving the community.”