At the final meeting of the year held Dec. 9, the Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners said thank you and farewell to three members whose terms are coming to an end.

In his closing statement, board member Shawn Clary announced he would be resigning from the Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners due to family issues, and this would be his last meeting.

Clary is ending his term - which was set to run till the end of 2021 - two years early. Clary expressed the utmost respect for his fellow board members and thanked them for being so welcoming and helpful to him during his tenure on the board.

Board Vice President Philip Ginder praised all three retiring board members - Clary, Dennis Hower and Ann Freyman.

Of Freyman, Ginder said, “She has given her all, without question,” during her time on the board and many years serving Whitehall Township.

In his closing statement, board President Dennis Hower thanked his fellow board members as well as the township staff who worked hard to prepare the board members for every vote they ever cast.

Bringing his successful eight years of service to an end, Hower said he “felt like Yoko, breaking up the band.” Mayor Michael P. Harakal Jr. went on to say Hower will be forgiven and remembered fondly much more quickly than she will.

In thanking the entire board, Harakal described them as the greatest working group of people he has ever been involved with.

Also at the meeting, Harakal presented an award of recognition to Nate Smith, a Whitehall resident.

Smith was recently elected as state junior vice commander of the Pennsylvania Veterans of Foreign Wars.

He served in both the Gulf War and the Iraq War. Serving in the military was a family affair for Smith - his three brothers and his father were also military men. His father served at Iwo Jima, and one brother was killed in Vietnam.

In thanking the mayor and the board for the award, Smith praised all of the public servants and volunteers in Whitehall Township.