At the brief Jan. 18 meeting, Bethlehem Township’s Board of Commissioners decided it’s time both to adopt a public comment policy and address continued participation in the Bethlehem Area Public Library. Those discussions occurred at the end of a meeting in which commissioners raced through three pages of agenda items with virtually no public discussion. This is because the township failed to post its back-up documents online. Those were made available the next day.

Last year, when former Commissioner Marty Zawarski proposed a public comment policy, Malissa Davis was a member of the public. She called the very notion “disrespectful to the citizens,” adding that public comment has never been an issue. Now that she’s on the other side of the dais, it appears that it is. She wants to bar public comment on agenda items until the item comes up and is explained. This policy will be adopted next month.

Commissioners may also vote to conduct a referendum on the township’s continued participation in the Bethlehem Area Public Library. Noting the $405,000 cost, Michael Hudak said it’s time to reconsider. He said the public “has been very vocal, to say the least.”

Malissa Davis echoed Hudak’s concerns, noting Bethlehem Township pays 20 percent of the cost of the library, but only gets 14 percent of the use.

Hudak decided, apparently in advance of the meeting, that the subject should be tabled because “there really isn’t enough information to have an intelligent conversation at this time.”

With no discussion, commissioners also unanimously approved trips by township staff for two different conferences.

On St. Patrick’s Day, Bethlehem Township Police Chief Dan Pancoast and Capt. Greg Gottschall will travel to Penn State’s main campus to attend a labor conference. Taxpayers will spend $220 in fees and about $120 per night per officer for hotel accommodations.

In addition, Manager Melissa Shafer will visit the Omni Bedford Springs Resort and Spa Feb. 18-19. In addition to spending $305 for an executive development conference, taxpayers will pay for her discounted $139 per night stay.

The spa boasts a signature steakhouse, the “springs eternal spa,” and of course, there’s afternoon tea.

The spa brochure for this conference states, “The greatest challenge facing public managers today is the sea of change in citizens’ perceptions and expectations of their government, and their interest in providing a contribution to local governance.”

Neither of this trips are for required training or certifications.