Residents press Hanover council on salary increases, transparency and project updates

Residents used the public-comment periods at the Hanover Borough Council meeting to press elected officials on transparency, recent employee salary adjustments and several planning items.

Robert Holt, identifying himself as "from the 3rd Ward," said he had submitted a written statement for the minutes that did not appear and raised concerns about how the council recorded a March 18 vote (he said a 6–4 vote was recorded as a 5–5 deadlock). "If we don't like what you're saying... your votes don't count," Holt said, urging the council to acknowledge and correct the record.

Holt also criticized what he called "sizable pay increases" linked to Resolution 14-54 and warned those raises could push future tax and fee increases. He cited illustrative salary ranges discussed in public comment — for example, raises that moved some positions from about $89,000 to $93,000 and others from $75,000 to $99,000 — and said such increases are not sustainable for residents.

Sandy Mao urged more current and accessible financial reporting so residents can hold the borough accountable without relying on right-to-know requests. "You are inhibiting the ability of the general public to hold you accountable for how those tax dollars are being spent," Mao said, urging monthly posting of reports.

Holt returned during an additional public-comment period to criticize what he described as "radio silence" from the borough about a planned gasification/biochar sewage-sludge facility; he said Conewago Township had received an outline of permit status but that Hanover had provided little public information. A borough participant later clarified there was an update at the stormwater authority meeting and offered to make that document available to interested residents.

Holt also raised concerns about inconsistent messaging on possible alcohol-permitted events at the reservoir and urged the council to make the parks-and-recreation volunteer application easier to find; he said the online form appears buried in the human-resources section of the borough website and asked the council to consider outreach that broadens the applicant pool.

Council and staff responses during the meeting included an explanation that minutes are summaries required by the Sunshine Act and that the borough does not include submitted written statements verbatim in the minutes; staff said written comments may be submitted to the borough for the record. A staff member who spoke about the hiring and salary history also outlined prior votes related to a fundraising/development position and the process by which a salary was approved in 2023.

The meeting record shows no immediate council action reversing or amending the pay adjustments discussed during public comment; staff indicated that some salary adjustments on the agenda reflected added responsibilities and long-term employees the borough aims to retain.