The Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners at its recent workshop meeting discussed the Whitehall Township Industrial and Commercial Development Authority's request which would allow it to expand from seven to nine members.

The reason for the authority's request to expand is that its members are maxed out from serving on multiple committees in addition to attending quarterly board meetings.

Howard Lieberman, representing the township ICDA, said the committees each have two members. Some of the committees meet as often as every two weeks.

In response, Commissioner Paul Geissinger said he believes the committees should be comprised of three members.

In the coming weeks, the commissioners are expected to vote on whether to expand the board by two members and to stagger the terms of the ICDA appointees so that multiple members' terms aren't expiring at the same time.

Mayor Edward D. Hozza Jr. recalled going unannounced to an ICDA meeting in Allentown and observing how much was accomplished in two hours. He said he wants to see the operations Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton have replicated in Whitehall.

"We got nothing," Geissinger said on the board's request for financial data and other paperwork. Lieberman replied the authority will release information that Geissinger said should be provided to the commissioners.

"I want accountability," Geissinger said. "Show me the minutes, records, what is going on."

At Monday night's meeting, the commissioners without discussion approved the appointment of Laura Long and Kent Newhart to the authority to fill existing vacancies. Long is executive director of the Whitehall Area Chamber of Commerce and Newhart is president of the ATA Financial Group LLC in Whitehall.