Lower Paxton holds public interviews for supervisor vacancy; board to deliberate at 7 p.m.

Lower Paxton Township held a public special meeting to interview four candidates for a vacant seat on the Board of Supervisors. Each candidate had 30 minutes of questioning from current supervisors; the board said it will deliberate and may take action at its regular 7:00 p.m. meeting, when the public will be allowed to comment.

The interviews opened with Chair remarks on procedure and candidate order. The four applicants — Majdi Ali, George Little, Tim Pramick and Jay Purdy — answered the same set of questions about their backgrounds, priorities and how they would work with staff and residents.

Majdi Ali, who said he currently works as a hearing officer with the Commonwealth Department of Revenue and previously served on the Susquehanna Township School Board, told the panel his priority would be improving communication between the township and residents. "Once you get to know the staff, I might not be able to answer the questions, but I might get somebody that's gonna answer those questions and be on that email chain so the community feels like they're being heard," Ali said. He also flagged traffic congestion, infrastructure and stormwater management as near-term priorities and emphasized a desire to "bring that consistency to the board."

George Little, a resident who described a long career in state corrections and municipal administration, said affordability, safety and efficient service delivery would guide his approach. Drawing on work he described setting up in other jurisdictions, he recommended tracking complaints and vendor performance through a centralized system: "311 is a customer relations set up," he said, describing how such a system can capture pothole and service complaints and allow managers to evaluate responses.

Tim Pramick, a longtime township resident and volunteer with Colonial Park Fire Company, described operational and safety experience gained at UGI and in volunteer service. He said local knowledge and hands-on problem-solving would be among his chief contributions to the board.

Jay Purdy, who previously served as a township supervisor, pointed to near-term issues tied to housing expansion, local roads and the compost area. He urged studying the "pros and cons of going to a 1st class township" and the possibility of dividing the township into precincts so neighborhood leaders can more readily run for office.

After the four interviews, the board entered a brief deliberation phase but did not make an appointment. The Chair noted the vacancy appears on the agenda of the regular 7:00 p.m. meeting and that public comment will be permitted when the board takes up deliberations. One supervisor remarked on historical party-practice in filling vacancies; another supervisor urged focusing on qualifications and experience. No formal appointment vote occurred during the special meeting.

The meeting ended after a motion to adjourn, which passed by voice vote.

The board’s next regular meeting at 7:00 p.m. will include deliberation and potential action on the appointment; public comment will be allowed when that agenda item is considered.