By Richard L. Gaw

Staff Writer

Right in sequence with the turning of the calendar from one year to the next, New Garden Township officially welcomed three new members to its Board of Supervisors and made several appointments to its government.

At the Board's organizational meeting on Jan. 6, Betty Gordon was named as the new chairperson of the Board for 2014, while newly-elected board member J. Patrick Little was named the board's vice chairman. The board also witnessed the official swearing in of new members Randy Geouque, Richard Ayotte and Little, prior to the start of the meeting.

In addition, the board made more than three dozen appointments to township positions. Among those named were Spence Andress, who was appointed as the township's interim township manager, director of planning and projects, right-to-know officer, assistant township secretary, and assistant township treasurer; Lew Gay, who was appointed as the township's secretary, treasurer, director of finance, recycling coordinator and assistant right-to-know officer; Ken Reed, who was appointed as the township's public works director; Vince Pompo, who was appointed as the township's solicitor and Sewer Authority solicitor, subject to ratification by the Sewer Authority; Don Suckstorf, who was appointed as the township's zoning officer and director of code compliance; Barbara Underwood, who was appointed as the township's director of parks and recreation; and Jon Martin, who was appointed as the township's director of aviation. 

In other township business, the board established its meeting dates for 2014, and agreed that all meetings will continue to be held in the Township Building on Starr Road. The board also agreed to change the starting times of Board of Supervisors meetings to 6:30 p.m., one hour earlier than the current starting time, beginning with the meeting on Jan. 27. 

The board also recognized long-time supervisor Robert Perrotti for his years of service to the township. Perrotti, who completed his second term on the board on Jan. 1, was cited by new chairperson Gordon  for his service on various elected positions, and for his efforts on preserving historical buildings in the township, most particularly in his vision to relocate the historic Lyceum House to New Garden Township Park.      

Township resident Don Peters was named as New Garden Township 2013 Volunteer of the Year. Peters was honored for his work on the township's Open Space Review Board, and for taking the lead on several projects for the Friends of the New Garden Trails, which included continuing to develop nature trails throughout the township and protecting its natural resources.