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Charlestown Township elects Kevin R. Kuhn chair, approves 2026 appointments and resolutions
Summary
At its Jan. 5 reorganization meeting in Malvern, Charlestown Township elected Kevin R. Kuhn as board chairman, confirmed a slate of staff and consultant appointments for 2026, adopted a package of annual resolutions and set the regular meeting schedule; votes were unanimous except one abstention on the vice-chair nomination.
Kevin R. Kuhn was elected chairman of the Charlestown Township Board of Supervisors at the township’s reorganization meeting on Jan. 5, 2026, at the Township Office in Malvern. Charles A. Philips nominated Kuhn, Hugh D. Willig seconded, and the board voted to approve the appointment.
The board also nominated and voted on a vice chairman. Hugh D. Willig nominated Ms. Carlson for Vice Chairman; Kevin R. Kuhn seconded. The motion passed with Mr. Kuhn, Mr. Willig and Mr. Philips voting in favor and Ms. Jill Green recorded as abstaining.
During the meeting the board read and approved the township’s annual staffing appointments for 2026. The slate confirmed Chris Heleniak as Township Manager (Township Secretary and Open Records Officer), Linda Csete as Township Treasurer (and Pension Plan Administrator, Assistant Right to Know Officer, County Tax Collection Committee Representative, Floodplain Administrator, MS-4 Coordinator and Recycling Coordinator), Jim Thompson as Roadmaster/Property Project Manager, Mark Koenig as Fire Marshal and Code Enforcement Officer, and other staff roles including a permit coordinator, public works assistant, park custodian and staff planner. The board moved to approve the list and voted to adopt the appointments.
The supervisors approved consultant and agency appointments for 2026. The slate named Maille, LLC as auditor (Resolution #1084-26), Keystone Municipal Services as Building Code Official, United Inspection Services for electrical inspections, Montrose Environmental Solutions, Inc. as the engineering firm, Daniel T. Wright, P.E. as Engineer and Zoning Officer, Lamb, McErlane, P.C. and Mark Thompson, Esq. as legal counsel (with Wendy McLean named special counsel), Keystone Collections as tax collector, Traffic Planning & Design as traffic engineering firm, and other consultants and historical architecture consultants as presented. The board voted to approve those appointments without opposition.
The supervisors also approved a series of board and commission appointments to multi‑year terms. Appointments included members to the Environmental Advisory Committee, Historical Commission/HARB, Parks & Recreation Board, Planning Commission, Phoenixville Regional Planning Commission, Vacancy Board, the UCC Board of Appeals and the Zoning Hearing Board (the latter noted via Resolution #1086-2025). Those appointments were moved and approved.
On compensation and administrative matters, the board established 2026 payroll and benefit parameters: rates of pay as written and subject to recommendations from the Budget Meeting; the mileage rate to follow the allowable IRS rate; employer/employee benefit matches as presented (the minutes indicate 100% employee/0% employer match for part-time employees, and 0% employee/100% employer match for full-time employees for health insurance and pension); the Treasurer’s bond at $1,000,000 and the Public Officials bond at $150,000; and a 12‑holiday schedule per the employee handbook. The board also certified all supervisors as delegates to the annual Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS) convention, designating Ms. Jill Green as the voting delegate. The motion to set these items was approved unanimously.
The board adopted a package of annual resolutions by motion, including Resolution #1087‑2026 (depositories for township accounts), #1088‑2026 (credit card authorizations), #1089‑2026 (naming providers for fire protection, ambulance, and police services), #1090‑2026 (Public Participation Policy for 2026), #1091‑2026 (Recreational Fee‑in‑Lieu schedule for 2026) and #1092‑2026 (2026 Fee Schedule). Staff noted that the depository for township funds was changed to First Resource Bank and that emergency service providers were updated as shown on an accompanying map indicating the nearest EMS providers. The resolutions were adopted with the board’s unanimous vote.
The supervisors set the 2026 business meeting schedule to occur on the first Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Township Office, except where holidays require adjustment; the September meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026. The motion passed unanimously.
Charles A. Philips moved to adjourn the reorganization meeting; Hugh D. Willig seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 7:12 p.m. The minutes were signed by Linda M. Csete, Township Treasurer/Admin.
Why this matters: The reorganization meeting confirmed the township’s leadership, staff assignments, consultant and advisory‑board rosters, fiscal authorizations and the policy framework that will guide Charlestown Township’s administration through 2026.
