Salisbury Township is changing the process for those seeking to become police department officers.

The Salisbury Township board of commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 at the Nov. 22 meeting to approve a resolution amending Sections 3.9(E) and 5.5 of Civil Service Commission Rules and Regulations regarding Act 120 Certification Requirement and Conditional Appointments for Police Officer Applicants.

Commissioner Alex Karol made the motion, seconded by board of commissioners Vice President Rodney Conn, to bring the resolution to a vote.

Before the vote, Salisbury Township Manager Cathy Bonaskiewich talked about the Civil Service Commission changes.

“We’re waiving the requirement to have certification at the time of employment,” Bonaskiewich said.

“We’re making it [employment] conditional on obtaining certification,” Bonaskiewich said.

Karol asked before the vote, “Does the Civil Service Commission have any concerns?”

“We’re forced to go in this direction to find prospects,” Conn said.

“I think other first-class townships have done this,” Commissioner Alok Patnaik said.

“Yeah, we’re not the only one who has done this,” Conn said.

“I thought there was a good discussion about this,” Conn said about a Civil Service Commission meeting.

“I think they deliberated before turning this over to us,” Conn continued.

“It seems it will offer us some flexibility,” Conn said.

Article II, Section 5.5 is amended with the beginning paragraph changed as follows:

“After the Board of Commissioners selects a candidate from the eligibility list, the candidate shall receive a conditional offer of employment to the police department subject to the following conditions.”

The conditions, in Article II, Section 5.5, which are also amended, pertain to physical and psychological medical examinations.

Also added to Section 5.5 are subsections concerning background examination, polygraph examination and academy training.

The amendments are on the township website Nov. 22 meeting agenda at https://www.salisburytownshippa.org.

Township commissioners voted 5-0 to accept the resignation, with regret, of Andrew Katz from the civil service commission.

Katz moved from the township and, therefore, cannot serve on the commission.

Conn made the motion, seconded by Patnaik, to bring the motion to a vote.

In other business, commissioners voted 5-0, with Commissioner Heather Lipkin making the motion and Conn seconding it, to require the township tax collector to waive additional charges for real estate taxes beginning in the tax year 2023 pursuant to Act 57 of 2022.

During the meeting workshop, the 2023 proposed township budget was discussed.

A vote on the budget is expected to be on the 7 p.m. Dec. 8 meeting agenda. The meeting, in the township municipal building. 2900 S. Pike Ave., is expected to be the final board of commissioners’ 2022 meeting.

The 2023 proposed budget can be viewed during business hours at the municipal building and on the township website.

Commissioners met in executive session after the workshop to dicusss real estate, board of commissioners President Deb Brinton announced.

At the Oct. 27 township meeting, commissioners voted 5-0 to approve:

•Resolution authorizing entering into easement agreement(s) with property owners along Lehigh Parkway North for water line construction and maintenance. Lipkin made the motion, seconded by Conn, to bring the resolution to a vote.

•Motion awarding the bid for Cardinal Drive Sewer Pump Station Generator Upgrade Project to Billitier Electric, Allentown, in the amount of $62,839 plus $900 daily cost for temporary power. Karol made the motion, seconded by Patnaik, to bring the motion to a vote.

•Motion accepting time extension granted for land development at 3380 Lehigh St. and motion accepting time extension granted for land development at 1525 E. Susquehanna St. The two separate motions were voted on together, with Patnaik making the motion, seconded by Conn, to bring the motions to a vote.

The Salisbury Township Planning Commission is scheduled to meet 7 p.m. Nov. 30, in the meeting room of the municipal building.