South Whitehall Township held its annual reorganization meeting Jan. 5, during which newly elected officials were sworn in and board leadership positions were filled.

Tracy Fehnel administered the oath of office to newly elected commissioners Sharon Fehlinger-Ricker and Glenn Guanowsky.

Following the swearing-in, Township Solicitor Joseph Zator opened nominations for board leadership.

Commissioner Diane Kelly nominated Jacob Roth to serve as president of the board of commissioners.

The nomination was seconded and approved unanimously.

In his remarks, Roth thanked his colleagues for their support and emphasized the collaborative nature of the board.

“We’re a board of five equal voices,” Roth said, noting the president’s role is to guide public discussion and ensure effective meetings for board members, staff and residents.

He also recognized Kelly for her four years as board president, crediting her leadership through major transitions including the appointment of a township manager and the hiring of a chief of police.

Roth welcomed the two new commissioners, highlighting the complexity and impact of municipal government and expressing his hope they would find the role both rewarding and fulfilling.

Roth then nominated Kelly to serve as vice president of the board, citing confidence in her ability to step in if needed.

The meeting continued with additional routine reorganization appointments.

During public comment, resident Barbara Hughes addressed the board regarding the potential development of data centers in the township.

Hughes said she has spent the past six months researching the issue and compiling a white paper based on both empirical data and case studies from municipalities that successfully prevented data center development.

Hughes urged the board to take up the issue promptly, stating data centers are an emerging concern for residents.

“People really don’t want them in their backyard,” she said, adding she hopes the board will consider best practices from other communities and address the matter as soon as possible.

No formal action on data centers was taken at the meeting.