Bruce Frack, vice chairman of the Allen Township Board of Supervisors, has been the talk of the town recently.

Controversy has stewed over his employment with the Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority and whether he can cast a vote as a supervisor for the $335 million FedEx mega transportation hub proposed by developer the Rockefeller Group.

Township Solicitor E. Lincoln Treadwell confirmed last Friday the township in March sought a ruling from the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission on what role, if any, Frack can play after the board receives a recommendation from the township planning commission, expected in June.

"We should get an answer in three weeks," Treadwell told The Press. He said the decision could come as soon as April 15 or shortly thereafter.

At a meeting in March, Frack responded to a resident's request that he recuse himself from the FedEx vote, arguing he is an employee at the Lehigh Valley International Airport and is not directly involved in the authority that manages the airport and its holdings.

Frack said he has been employed at the airport for over 40 years.

"Mid-April," Treadwell said in regard to the township seeking a response from the state ethics board.

Treadwell acknowledged receiving a letter from attorney Donald W. Miles, inquiring on behalf of a group of township residents opposed to the FedEx project that Frack excuse himself from voting on the proposed FedEx development.

The letter mentioned Frack likely could receive a direct pecuniary benefit because of his employment ties with the airport and the authority's successful sale of the land. Frack earlier denied any financial involvement or potential benefit due to his employment status.

The supervisors continue to report plans are before the planning commission, not the board of supervisors. The planning commission continues to hold public hearings on the extensive FedEx Rockefeller Group project.

The land is zoned industrial by the township. The question of zoning was brought up at a recent planning commission hearing when a FedEx spokesman said the company is not seeking any zoning changes as the industrial zoning permits them to locate on the site.

Should the state ethics commission rule Frack is not permitted to vote on the project, the board of supervisors' four members would vote on the issue. A 2-2 vote, in effect would result in the FedEx plan failing, according to Treadwell.