Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners held a reorganization meeting Jan. 5 to swear in three commissioners and the tax collector and to nominate members of the board for president, vice president and secretary.

Commissioners Taylor Stakes, Lee Christman and Thomas Slonaker took the oath of office. Stakes and Christman are newly elected commissioners, and Slonaker successfully won reelection for the position.

Solicitor Jack Gross asked the board to pick a candidate among the commissioners for president, vice president and secretary. Gross led the board in nominations. He noted that, for someone to win the position, they had to receive at least four votes.

Stakes and Slonaker both motioned for Commissioner Jeffrey Warren to serve as board president. Christman motioned for Commissioner Ken Snyder to serve as president, but there was no second, so that didn’t pass. No additional names were submitted for president after that.

Six commissioners voted in favor of Warren, while Warren abstained.

Warren will serve as the president, having previously served as vice president.

Commissioners Elizabeth Fox and Stakes motioned for Slonaker to serve as vice president, while Christman and Randy Atiyeh both motioned for Snyder to serve in that position.

There were four votes in favor of Slonaker — from Slonaker, Stakes, Fox and Warren. There were three votes for Snyder — from Christman, Snyder and Atiyeh.

Slonaker will serve as vice president, having previously served as president.

Snyder and Stakes motioned for Atiyeh to serve as secretary. No other names were submitted. Commissioners voted 6-0-1 in favor of Atiyeh, with Atiyeh abstaining from the vote.

Atiyeh will continue serving as the board secretary.

Tina Jo Koren was sworn in as the township tax collector after a successful reelection.

The commissioners reappointed Gross McGinley, in a 7-0 vote, as the township solicitor at a rate of $195 an hour for partners, $170 for associates and $120 for paralegals.

Keystone Consulting Engineers was also reappointed, in a 7-0 vote, as the township engineering firm.

Scott Lipson was reappointed in a 7-0 vote to serve as counsel to the building code board of appeals, Civil Service Commission and tax appeals board at a rate of $90 an hour.

William Fries was reappointed in a 7-0 vote to serve as counsel to the zoning hearing board at a rate of $180 an hour.

Lehigh Engineering Associates was reappointed in a 7-0 vote as the township conflict engineering firm.

Kevin Fogerty, Esq. was reappointed to serve as the township conflict attorney in a 7-0 vote at a rate of $125 an hour.

Victor Scomillio, Esq. was appointed to serve as the township zoning hearing board conflict attorney at a rate of $155 an hour and $100 an hour for paralegals.