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Harris Township reorganizes for 2026, adopts manager agreement and routine appointments
Summary
The Board of Supervisors elected new chair and vice chair for 2026, sworn in a new supervisor and tax collector, adopted a two‑year township manager employment agreement, approved a fee schedule amendment and a large voucher, and made a slate of professional and commission appointments.
At its Jan. 5 meeting, the Harris Township Board of Supervisors completed annual organization business and approved several administrative resolutions and appointments.
Swearing‑in and leadership: Bridgette Armstrong was sworn in as tax collector and Christopher (Chris) Morrell was sworn in as a township supervisor. The board elected Zeddie Haymeister as chair and Frank (surname not specified in the transcript) as vice chair for calendar year 2026 by voice vote.
Manager employment agreement and salary: The board adopted Resolution 2601, approving a new two‑year employment agreement for the township manager effective Jan. 6, 2026 through Jan. 3, 2028. The board also considered and adopted Resolution 2602 to set the township manager’s salary for fiscal year 2026; both motions passed by voice vote with no recorded roll‑call tallies in the transcript.
Appointments and professional services: The board appointed Mark (manager later identified in the minutes as Mark Bockel) as secretary‑treasurer for 2026 and set the treasury bond at $1,000,000. It reappointed or approved three engineering service providers (College Township Engineer Department, Century Engineering, McCormick Taylor) to serve in specified municipal engineering roles, named SEO (senior code enforcement) appointments, and approved solicitor firms and hearing‑officer alternatives. The planning commission slate approved regular and alternate members for terms through Dec. 31, 2029; names in the transcript show some spelling variations in real time (e.g., Alex Schmidbauer/Schmidt Bauer; Kelly Wolgast/Wozniak). Appointments were approved by voice votes after motions and seconds.
Fees, vouchers and manager’s report: The board adopted Resolution 2604 setting the township fee schedule (including an increase to certain SEO hourly rates and a $3 add‑on for rental permits to help cover enforcement costs). It approved voucher number 2025‑12 for $438,733.88. The manager’s report noted the anticipated NEPA/DEIS timeline for related transportation projects and several routine town‑planning and maintenance items.
Process notes: Most approvals were voice votes recorded as unanimous 'ayes' in the transcript; the record does not include detailed roll‑call tallies for each motion. Several names have inconsistent spellings across the transcript; the article uses the spellings that appear where the speaker first presented themselves or as clarified later in the meeting minutes.
