Salisbury Township Community Day may not be held in May.

Discussion of the Community Day, proposed for May, indicates it may be moved to early August.

The move to August was favored by the Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners to coordinate it with the annual National Night Out, which this year is Aug. 7.

Also, at the Jan. 25 meeting, commissioners honored three longtime members of township boards.

“In the past year, we’ve had three long-standing members of commissions step down,” Salisbury Township Manager Cathy Bonaskiewich said. “Unfortunately, one of them died.

“Cindy [Salisbury Township Director of Planning and Zoning Cynthia Sopka] thought it was fitting that we recognize them,” Bonaskiewich said.

Making the motion to bring the resolutions to recognize the service of board and commission members to a vote was township Commissioner Rodney Conn, seconded by Commissioner Vice President Debra Brinton.

Commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 to honor Stephen McKitish, who served for 24 years, and Dr. William Licht, who served 12 years, on the planning commission, and the late James Kelley, who served 33 years, on the zoning hearing board.

In another resolution, brought to a vote by Brinton and seconded by Conn, the vote was 5-0 to appoint Ann Bove as township representative to the Allentown Public Library Board.

During Salisbury Township Recreation Director Genny Baillie’s presentation about Community Day, first proposed by Recreation Advisory Committee Secretary Kim Ringhoffer at the committee’s Jan. 15 meeting, questions arose about a potentially crowded calendar in May, especially for Salisbury Township School District events.

“There’s a push right now to partner,” Brinton noted. “We all live in one township.”

”I would welcome you folks to partner with us,” Salisbury Township Chief of Police Allen W. Stiles said to Baillie of the recreation committee plans.

“I’m here to get suggestions as to how to proceed,” Baillie said.

Brinton also noted annual events held by Eastern Salisbury Fire Company and Western Salisbury Fire Company, which typically occur in the fall.

Salisbury Township Director of Finance Paul Ziegenfus mentioned there are school ice-cream festivals in May.

Brinton recommended Baillie speak to school district parent teacher organization leaders.

“I can take this input back to the committee,” Baillie said.

“This is just talk. We wanted to bring it to you first,” Baillie said to commissioners.

A location for Community Day under consideration is Salisbury Middle School. The event might include vendors, a disc jockey, moon bounce, dunk tank and food and drink.

“We also want to target the adults and our senior citizens,” Baillie said.

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that “promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live,” according to the National Night Out website.

“National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.”

The website states the annual event takes place in thousands of communities in 50 states, U.S. territories and military bases worldwide on the first Tuesday in August.

There are block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts and other activities, including safety demonstrations, seminars and equipment displays by emergency-responders.

In other business at the Jan 25 meeting, commissioners voted 5-0 to:

•Appoint Letitia Forthman as Salsibury Township Deputy Tax Collector through 2021, on a motion by Commissioner Joanne Ackerman, seconded by Commissioner James Seagreaves.

•Appoint Jacquelyn Heiserman to the Salisbury Township Environment Advisory Council on a motion by Conn, seconded by Ackerman.

In his report to commissioners, Stiles noted township police officers Christopher Casey and Charles Whitehead completed the corporal commission training.

Stiles also said the first bracelet for Project Lifesaver has been provided to a child.

The Civil Service Commission will meet 4 p.m. Feb. 6 to create a new list of possible police officer candidates by advertising for two open positions on the township force.

After the meeting, Baillie told a reporter for The Press that with the expected start of the new pavilion construction project, expected to start in May, the summer playground program at Lindberg Park will most likely not be held there.

“Pavilion reservations [for Lindberg], we can’t entertain them,” Bonaskiewich said.

Commissioners will send representatives to a Lehigh Valley Planning Commission meeting on regional needs and funding.

An executive session was held by commissioners after the Jan. 25 meeting.