BY SUSAN BRYANT

sbryant@tnonline.com

Lowhill supervisors had their reorganization meeting to rename and reappoint board members and organizations before their regular meeting on Jan. 6.

Before the reorganization meeting, board Chairman Curtis Dietrich briefly held the regular meeting to accept the resignation of George “Buddy” Wessner that was presented to the board just minutes before the Dec. 12, 2024, supervisors’ meeting.

“We have one applicant to replace Buddy from Jack Iannantuono for the remainder of Buddy’s term,” Dietrich stated.

A motion was made and approved by both remaining supervisors, Mike Divers and Dietrich, to accept Wessner’s resignation and appoint Iannantuono as the third supervisor.

Once Iannantuono was appointed and sworn in, Dietrich reconvened the reorganization meeting.

During that meeting, Dietrich was renamed chairman, Divers was renamed vice chairman.

Jill Seymour was renamed as township secretary, secretary, and permit applicator, recording secretary for the planning commission and open records officer.

Iannantuono was named township treasurer.

Joe Kalusky was reappointed as road foreman with Jamie Shelton again serving as assistant road foreman.

Full-time road crew members include Kalusky, Shelton and Jeff Hontz.

Part-time road crew members include Dean Vermeulean and Gavin Grim.

Attorney David Brooman, with High Swatz, Norristown, will again serve as solicitor for supervisors and Norris, McLauglin and Marcus, Allentown, will again be solicitor for the zoning hearing board and the UCC Board.

Eugene McGorry was named emergency management coordinator and part-time township administrator.

Carol Betz will again serve as property tax collector and vacancy board chairwoman.

Phyllis Breininger was again chosen as deputy tax collector.

Barry C. Betz and Thomas Zubey were both appointed for a four-year term on the planning commission, with their terms expiring on Jan. 1, 2028.

Iannantuono’s appointment to supervisor leaves a vacancy on the planning commission.

Glenn Moyer was reappointed for a three-year term on the zoning hearing board, with his term expiring on Jan. 1, 2028.

Ryan Christman with Keystone Consulting Engineers, was again appointed township engineer and zoning officer.

Mike Siegel was named the alternate zoning officer.

Ian Stoudt, with Keystone Consulting Engineers, will serve as the sewage enforcement officer.

Barry Isett and Associates will perform inspection and code enforcement for the township.

Under public comment, Terry Lenhart questioned the acceptance of Wessner’s resignation and the appointment of Iannantuono to the board of supervisors.

“I think I am paranoid here but I’m assuming since the attorney is present tonight, the procedure that we have as far as accepting Buddy’s resignation and appointing Jack, that was done properly compared to the situation we got into last time”” Lenhart asked.

Dietrich replied.

“Right. I think for those in the community who maybe aren’t quite as familiar but remember exactly how it all was, there was a resignation in October 2022,” Dietrich said. “The resolution was said to be effective the next day, however, the board didn’t take action to approve it at that meeting.

“They didn’t have a motion but at least acknowledged it.

“I think everybody understood it was effective. It was actually approved then at the November meeting and, that evening, there were motions made to appoint a new supervisor.

“None of those motions could get a second, each of the standing members made a motion, the other member did not approve of that and then it was vacant and then the vacancy board was convened immediately.

“The judge found the board should have spent more time trying to resolve that issue rather then turning it over to the vacancy board at that juncture.

“We certainly believe we followed everything in terms of accepting Mr. Wessner’s resignation.”

He then asked Brooman if he had any comment.

“I do,” Brooman said.

“When there’s a new appointment, like occurred tonight, and there’s consensus in the remaining two, it’s a very easy process and that’s what you witnessed tonight.

“When the two supervisors can’t agree, that’s when you end up in a very prescriptive process.

“It has deadlines and everything else and that’s where they faltered, not due to any fault of their own, but just the way it was interpreted in terms of the acceptance.

“[It was] much different tonight for those who are concerned.”