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Township struggles to fill zoning officer role; board considers broader recruitment and internships
Summary
An experienced candidate turned down the zoning officer offer. The board discussed expanding recruitment channels, relying on Hanover Engineering temporarily and exploring Vo‑Tech internships to build a candidate pipeline.
Lehigh Township supervisors said at their Aug. 12 meeting that recruiting a qualified zoning officer has been difficult and discussed short‑ and medium‑term options.
Township zoning officer Alice Rehrig said an experienced candidate declined the employment offer. In July the township received 22 new zoning permit applications and issued 36 permits; a variance request was filed for a home with about 950 square feet of living area where the minimum is 1,000 square feet.
Supervisor Cindy Miller urged broader advertising—Indeed, PSATS and other online forums—to reach experienced candidates, adding that repeatedly subcontracting zoning work to consultants could become expensive. Rehrig said Hanover Engineering (Scott Brown) has been assisting and Keycodes pricing will be reviewed. Kristin Soldridge suggested outreach to local vocational‑technical programs to create an internship or apprenticeship pipeline.
Trustees agreed the ad hoc ordinance committee work must finish and the board will continue evaluating recruitment and coverage options. No hiring decision was made at the meeting.
