ATMA member changes continue
The face of Antrim Township Municipal Authority has changed dramatically in the past two years. As a result of supervisor actions at the reorganizational meetings in 2008 and 2010, and with the death of one member, only one person with long experience remains on ATMA.
The supervisors on Jan. 4 replaced ATMA vice-chairman Roy Baum with a newcomer, Chad Murray. Two years ago they appointed Bob Schemmerling to replace member Ed Smith and Rodney Eberly to fill Scott Diffenderfer's unexpired term.
Baum and Smith had expressed interest in remaining on the board when their terms were up. They had 12 and five years of experience, respectively.
Coladonato joined ATMA at the death of longtime servant BJ Roberts in October 2008. Roberts had been on the board for four years and before that a supervisor for 18 years.
Elwood Myers was reappointed in 2009 to a five-year term and has served since about 1995. He was chairman several times, including last year. On Jan. 25, as ATMA also reorganized, he became secretary and seconded Schemmerling's motion that Coladonato become chair.
Supervisors appoint
The Board of Supervisors appoints to the various township boards. Three citizens had submitted letters indicating they would like to serve on ATMA, the Planning Commission, or the Zoning Hearing Board.
As the supervisors considered their selections, Curtis Myers asked if Delbert Myers and Joel Wenger were still interested in staying on with the Planning Commission. With an affirmative response, the board retained them on the PC. Phillip Oberholzer was reappointed to the ZHB.
Only ATMA underwent changes in personnel. The three applicants reported their qualifications in their letters.
Murray is a founding partner in three Greencastle businesses: Quad-State Air Compressors, Grooming Dale's, and L.C.M. Joint Ventures; is a past committee member and current vice-chairman of the Franklin County Republican Committee; and is active in his church.
One applicant had a career in state and federal government, including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He was a mechanical engineer and also worked in city code enforcement, and was an active volunteer.
The final applicant had served on the Franklin County and Greencastle area development corporations. He founded one manufacturing company and co-founded another.
None of the three was interviewed in person. Two contacted the township to ask about attending the organizational meeting. One was told it was not necessary to come. Murray asked the date and did attend. Fred Young III moved to appoint Murray. After questioned by supervisors if he had ever served on a board and if he was on public sewer, Myers seconded the motion. It passed 3-0 with James Byers also voting yes. Samuel Miller was out of the room at the vote and Rick Baer was absent. The term runs until 2015.
The other applicants were notified by letter of the action. It read, "Antrim Township will keep your letter of interest on file for the next service position that may come available. Antrim Township Supervisors and staff thank you for your interest in serving our community and look forward to being able to utilize your talents in the near future."
Young and Myers did not return a request for information on their reason for appointing only one new member to a board.