Salisbury Township Director of Planning and Zoning Cynthia Sopka is retiring.

The Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners voted 4-0, with one commissioner absent at the Jan. 23 meeting, to approve a “resolution in recognition of years of service and to accept the retirement of Cynthia Sopka.”

Board of commissioners Vice President Rodney Conn made the motion, seconded by Commissioner Heather Lipkin, to bring the resolution to a vote.

Salisbury Township Manager Cathy Bonaskiewich said before the vote Sopka would serve until Jan. 31. With leave time taken into consideration, Sopka’s last day of township employment is March 6, Bonaskiewich said.

Bonaskiewich said with about 11 years as township planning and zoning director, Sopka is eligible for retirement.

“We appreciate the years of service she’s given Salisbury Township,” board of commissioners President Debra Brinton said.

“I agree,” Commissioner James Seagreaves said.

Sopka was not at the Jan. 23 commissioners’ meeting, which she usually attends.

Sopka is apparently not expected to attend the 7 p.m. Feb. 4 zoning hearing board meeting when a proposed building project for the Girls Scouts’ Mountain House Day Camp is on the agenda for review. Because of an anticipated large audience attendance, the zoning hearing location was changed to the Salisbury Middle School cafeteria, 3301 Devonshire Road.

Bonaskiewich said she expects to advertise in February for applicants to apply for the position of township director of planning and zoning.

After the Jan. 23 meeting, Bonaskiewich told a reporter for The Press that, until Sopka’s successor is named, her duties will be overseen by Salisbury Township Assistant Township Manager Sandy Nicolo, Salisbury Township Consulting Engineer David J. Tettemer and Salisbury Township Administrative Assistant, Community Development, Kerry Rabold.

Before being hired by Salisbury Township in 2008, Sopka was zoning administrator for Reading from 2006-2008. She received a master of science, environmental science aquatic ecosystems degree, from Lehigh University.

In other business at the Jan. 23 meeting, commissioners voted 4-0 for each of the following appointments:

-Zoning hearing board, second ward vacancy (unexpired term), with Seagreaves nominating: Joseph Kovach

-Zoning hearing board, alternate member, Seagreaves nominating: Nicole Ortiz

-Zoning hearing board, fourth ward (unexpired term), Conn nominating: Ian Baxter

-Civil service commission, alternate member, Brinton nominating: Russell Lande

Commissioners also voted 4-0 to:

-Approve Payment No. 2 of $172,998.53 to Insituform Technologies for 2019 Sanitary Sewer Rehab CIPPL Contract “B.” Tettemer said everything is going well with the project.

During the commissioners’ discussion, Lipkin said she received complaints about vehicles not stopping at a stop sign at Savercool Avenue and Weil Avenue. Salisbury Township Chief of Police Kevin Soberick said the matter would be looked into.

Brinton said there were complaints about trash at a residence along Emmaus Avenue. Nicolo said the property owner has been fined and he is monitoring the situation.

During the courtesy of the floor, Steve McKitish voiced concern about workers from Cityline Construction walking across South Pike Avenue to their cars on a parking lot. Nicolo said he would look into the concern.

Charles Beck complained about cars parked against the traffic direction along Potomac Street. Soberick said he would look into the matter.

During the meeting workshop, Soberick said discussions are underway regarding possible changes to civil service rules and regulations for background checks before or after offers of employment and in requirements for promotions to sergeant. Any such changes must be discussed with the police department officers’ bargaining unit.

Salisbury Township Director of Finance Paul Ziegenfus discussed proposed changes to the township fees schedule, for which he’s recommending a two-rate, rather than three-rate, structure.

Residents could be given 30 days, instead of 15 days to pay water, sewer and garbage before the 25 percent goes into effect. Ziegenfus is to present a proposal.

Nicolo said he’s planning to streamline township application forms, with 15 pages of forms possibly reduced to three pages of forms.

An audit of township volunteer fire departments was discussed. “We’ve done it once every 10 years. Two to five years is recommended,” Bonaskiewich said.

“If we’re giving them money, we should know where the money is going to,” Ziegenfus added.

An auditor would review eastern and western volunteer fire departments.

“We’ll know how they operate their financials,” Ziegenfus said.