LETTER: Refections from former supervisor
In respect of Pennsylvania Township Supervisors, Local Government Week, April 12-16, I agree with all the major items David Sanko mentioned in his April 14 op-ed. A supervisor has a 24-hour, seven-day duty to serve the needs of the township and residents. To share these duties, some townships now have a manager and office staff. The road employees and police force, are on call at any moment, even after a full day’s work. The supervisors can be considered as working supervisors with an approved hourly wage by their auditors. They also may be compensated for their monthly attendance at meetings, review complaints, etc. That fee is set by a state law, based on the number of residents served. These are all primary budget costs.
As a former township supervisor, I had the opportunity to start my six-year term knowing some of the needs that kept growing, making many taxpayers angry. One was the unsafe and unhealthy township offices. Within the second year of the term, the current township building was modernized to accommodate all full-time employees with a healthier environment. It also was designed to erect a new road department/garage for storing trucks and other equipment that stood outside during all kinds of weather.
The other need, most close to my heart, to accomplish was to find a place for our senior adults who were praying, for years, to find land or a building and develop a place for their gatherings as senior citizens. Five years of my term were passing by and nothing became available, but we never gave up hope. Three months before my term expired, 30-plus acres next to Chartiers-Houston High School were posted for sale. During a brief stop at the end of my road on the way to work one morning, I caught a glimpse of a large, for-sale poster down the road. I immediately thought about the senior citizens and, if the price was reasonable, thought this could be their future place for gathering. The price was reasonable, we made a lower offer, and it was accepted. Unfortunately, my time ran out before I could be involved in any development. So did the time run out for those senior citizens who prayed for years, and all had died before the new recreation center was built a few years ago.
Sometimes we are accused of doing too much; sometimes not doing enough in the time we are given.
Joann Diesel
Houston