BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Lower Saucon Township Council has decided to set aside $10,500 for recruiting services to help bring on a new township manager.
Manager Mark Hudson submitted his resignation on March 1 with no specific reason for his leaving, and declared his last day as March 28.
Harrisburg-based Keystone Municipal Solutions will assist the township in finding Hudson’s replacement, following a 3-1 vote from township council last week.
Councilman Jason Banonis was the lone “no” vote. Councilman Thomas Carocci was absent.
"He will be a loss to the township. I wish him only the best."Lower Saucon Twp. Council President Priscilla deLeon, speaking on the resignation of manager Mark Hudson
The panel also officially approved Hudson’s resignation with a unanimous vote Wednesday.
"He will be a loss to the township," Council President Priscilla deLeon said, declaring she made the motion "with regret."
"I wish him only the best."
Township Assistant Manager Cathy Gorman has been called to handle managerial duties in the meantime, officials said.
The agreement
Chad Saylor, KMS’s project manager for the engagement, sent a letter to Lower Saucon officials highlighting the agreement.
Alongside the township, KMS will review the respective job description, check related township ordinances, start “Commonwealth-wide” outreach efforts, screen potential candidates and later share the results with the township for a broader interview process.
“Allowing for local participation is a critical part of the outreach strategy; however, the reach of the recruitment effort will be broad in order to identify a quality pool of candidates."Keystone Municipal Solutions Project Manager Chad Saylor
“Allowing for local participation is a critical part of the outreach strategy; however, the reach of the recruitment effort will be broad in order to identify a quality pool of candidates,” Saylor wrote in the agreement terms.
The firm also is set to help with the associated background check process.
KMS provides no guarantee for a timeline for finding the right person for the job.
'Another knee-jerk reaction'
Councilwoman Victoria Opthof-Cordaro said the contractual move wasn’t partisan and is a common practice, especially when municipalities have top positions become available.
“I think for the public’s benefit, we want our staff to be concentrating on our township business at hand,” Opthof-Cordaro said.
“And certainly undertaking a search that would require multiple interviews and things like that would be something that I want a professional firm that’s able to communicate with the various professional associations and whatnot.”
Banonis called bringing in the firm “another knee-jerk reaction” from the council majority.
“I think given the circumstances here with the environment, the hostile environment, the rudeness, the everything that goes on here — I think it’s going to be a difficult position to fill."Lower Saucon Twp. councilwoman Laura Ray
He said Gorman was “competent, qualified” for the position and wanted to know if she had been considered for promotion.
“This is using taxpayer money to do the job that you cannot do or don’t want to do,” Banonis said. “This is not acceptable.
"Township residents should be upset, not only with the resignation of Mark, [the] fact that he’s leaving, under the circumstances that he’s leaving, the fact that we’re now on a third solicitor in 60 days — or interim solicitor in 60 days — and then you’re just going to spend more money.”
He said Hudson was a “great fit” for the township, and his leaving may lead to “literally and figuratively more train wrecks.”
Councilwoman Laura Ray said, “I think given the circumstances here with the environment, the hostile environment, the rudeness, the everything that goes on here — I think it’s going to be a difficult position to fill.
“So I do think it’s best to go with a professional agency that has more resources and contacts to recruit for this type of position.”
Residents' comments
Township resident David Boulin said he wanted the public to be included in the process to some degree, at the very least to learn more about the candidates gunning for a key managerial position.
“Truly, I’d like to see some transparency."Lower Saucon Twp. resident David Boulin
“Truly, I’d like to see some transparency,” Boulin said.
“And when you select these people, when you get down to the, whatever, final four, let’s bring them up and let the town listen to who they are, not just vote on them because you have the strength.
"You were voted in and therefore you are supremely eligible to make those kinds of decisions.”
Other residents agreed that representatives of the firm should come sit in the audience during meetings to get a true idea of “the bantering, the bullying and the crap that goes on for hour after hour,” as described by one person during public comment.
