North Whitehall supervisors got down to business at their annual re-organizational meeting on Jan. 7.

With all members in attendance, Ron Heintzelman was designated chairman. Steve Pany was named vice chairman.

Mark Hills is the third supervisor on the board.

Brenda Norder was re-appointed township secretary/treasurer and chief pension officer. Jeff Bartlett remains as township manager.

The treasurer's bond is set at $6 million with the Neffs National Bank and First Northern Bank and Trust, Palmerton, designated the repositories.

Heintzelman was named community services director, and facilities and recreation director.

Supervisors will continue meeting 7:30 p.m. on the first Monday of the month with the exception of September when the meeting will be on the second Monday.

Pany was appointed assistant public works director – a non compensated position.

Heintzelman, Pany, Hills, Bartlett and Norder were appointed delegates to the annual state convention. Heintzelman will be the voting delegate with Hills as the alternate.

Attorney Lisa Young was re-appointed solicitor to the board of supervisors and to the planning commission.

The township engineering firm will be Keystone Consulting Engineers, Wescosville.

Keystone is also the traffic engineer while special projects engineer is Benchmark Civil Engineering Services, Allentown.

In the absence of the zoning officer, Keystone will fill this position.

Barry Isett and Associates, Keystone Code and Enforcement, and Lehigh Valley Inspection Service are the designated primary third party code compliance agencies.

The Building Code of Appeals will add Todd Kern to its membership.

Richard Benjamin was appointed to the zoning hearing board. Scott Bieber was appointed sewage enforcement officer with Keystone Consulting Engineers and Guy Bieber as alternates.

Leonard Nuss and Joanne Guth were named to the planning commission.

Supervisors' representative on the planning commission will be Pany.

Darrel Stofflet and Richard Miller were appointed to the recreation board and Holly Krause was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Terry Reppert. Heintzelman will be the supervisor representative on the recreation board.

Two representatives, Bruce Stettler and Ray Deutsch, were appointed to the Ironton Rails to Trails Oversight Committee. Alternates are Paul Mantz and Richard Townsend.

Tim Wotring will serve on the historical commission with Charles Orwig serving as chairman of the vacancy board.

Don Jacobs will be township fire marshal with Jim Stewart serving as assistant fire marshal.

Nelson Fogel will be director and Don Jacobs will be assistant director of emergency management.

The township office will be closed on Feb. 15, March 29, May 27, July 4, Sept. 2, Oct. 14, Nov. 28-29 and on Dec. 24-25 and Jan. 1, 2014.

The annual Halloween Trick or Treat Night is set for 6-8 p.m. Oct. 25.

The zoning hearing board will continue to meet on the third Wednesday of the month.

The planning commission will meet on the fourth Tuesday (except December when the meeting will be on Dec. 19.

The recreation board will meet during odd numbered months.

Bartlett was directed to sign the agreement with the Sanctuary at Haafsville for animal control services.

He also told the board a representative from Penn-DOT will be at the next meeting to give an overview of the proposed upgrade to the intersection of Route 309 and Sand Spring Road.

Improvements will include a left turn lane, sidewalks and new signals.

Ray Deutsch, representing Ironton Rails to Trails, asked the board to consider paving the remainder of the trail this year.

The trail is paved in Whitehall Township from Portland Street to the township building.

He told the board there is a Department of Conservation and Natural Resources 50-50 grant available for this purpose.

The township's contribution would be $55,000.

The trail would be paved from Whitehall Township to the North Whitehall Township building and, at some time, possibly paved to Kolapechka Park. Pany said there is no money in the budget to do this and the township could not get involved in this project this year.

Deutsch said the grant availability will be open until the end of 2014 but he would like to have the paving done this year to save money.