Exeter officials discuss options for relocating staff, police
Sep. 28—Exeter Township officials are discussing possibilities for relocating staff to the former district justice building at 10 Fairlane Road.
The discussion marks the latest development in the attempt to expand workspace, particularly for police, as well as emergency, public works and administrative staff, all of whom currently work within a few connected properties at the intersections of Demoss, Gibraltar and Fairlane roads.
"We're trying to utilize the space we have, without spending $40 million on a new building," Supervisor Michelle Kircher said, referring to the scrapped plans to build a $44 million to $51 million municipal complex at the former Promenade Shopping Center in the 3900 block of Perkiomen Avenue.
Space is a major issue for police right now, interim Chief Matthew Harley said.
"Our squad room now is tight," Harley said, "and we currently don't have an interview room. When someone comes in to file a complaint right now, they're talking to an officer right in the middle of the public."
At the meeting Monday, Larry Piersol, assistant public works director, floated a few options for modifying the space.
One option involved moving administrative staff to the former district justice building at 10 Fairlane Road, expanding police space into the current administrative offices and road crew garage, and an addition to the administrative building to house public works vehicles.
Harley said police could use part of the existing road crew garage as a weight room and training center, and use the remaining space to store department vehicles.
The district justice office is on the other side of Demoss Road, at the corner of Demoss and Fairlane, across from the current municipal space.
Another option included moving emergency staff and some ambulances to the district justice office and keeping staff and police together in the current administrative building.
Supervisors asked Piersol to compile a concrete list of options with pricing to be presented at future meetings.
Hiring authority
Supervisors David Hughes and Ted Gardella sparred over interim township manager Betsy McBride's ability to hire staff.
McBride requested hiring a temporary employee for the planning department to help process documents after the departure of one worker.
Gardella questioned why hiring a temporary employee was on the agenda, claiming it was a routine action.
McBride said she wanted to ask if there were any objections.
"With the cruelty and recklessness I've seen, I've decided to put it on the agenda ... so the public knows if a majority of the board says OK or not," McBride said.
Hughes claimed the township's contract with the staffing agency that supplied McBride requires supervisors' approval of hirings by McBride.
"This contract overrides the ordinance which does give her (McBride) the authority to hire and fire," Hughes said. "I'm concerned about it. I would like to look at each hire because I do know we hired someone ... who is a friend of Mr. Gardella's and I never saw a resume or anything."
Hughes said he would like supervisors to review McBride's hiring decisions.
Township solicitor Chad Schnee noted that under township ordinances the supervisors can revoke the manager's hiring and firing choices at any time, and therefore the contract isn't in conflict with Exeter's rules.
Hughes said he was also concerned that the township isn't looking to hire a permanent manager and chastised what he called "a crazy Gardella idea" to train Piersol to eventually take over as manager.
"We pay (the staffing service) $280,000 a year for Betsy's services," Hughes said. "It doesn't seem reasonable. We can hire a permanent manager for $125,000 to $140,000 a year."
McBride said the numbers Hughes quoted don't include benefits and pension costs.
Gardella condemned Hughes for attacking the plan to have Piersol become manager and said he didn't understand why McBride's abilities and motivations were being questioned.
"We've got to stop this back-and-forth, with one single (board) member holding up everything we're trying to do," Gardella said. "In any other circumstance, a township manager, interim or not, would have the ability to hire and fire."
Kircher said she agreed with Gardella.
Supervisor Chairman George Bell said he believed interim managers already had the power to hire and fire according to township rules.
Supervisor David Vollmer Jr. called for a vote to cement McBride's ability to make personnel decisions.
Supervisors voted 4-1 to allow McBride to hire and fire as she sees fit, with Hughes voting no.
Heated arguments have broken out often between Hughes and other supervisors at meetings, with the animosity reaching a fever pitch in June when the board voted 4-0 to censure and remove Hughes from his role as board vice chairman and have Gardella take over the position.
Reading Country Club
Piersol gave an update on renovations at the Reading County Club in preparation for its soft opening in October.
The township bought the country club and golf course in 2006, but closed the club building in 2017 after evicting former club manager JMH Inc. over a liquor license dispute.
In August, supervisors approved entering into a three-year agreement with Reading Hospitality Management to run events at the county club. The company is affiliated with the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Reading.
Reading Hospitality plans to work with the township to host weddings in the facility's upstairs ballroom, as well as community events, holiday celebrations, Sunday brunches and themed buffet nights.
Piersol said public works crews repainted the ballroom ceiling and walls in the banquet area, inspected the fountains and fireplace, built a decorative wall in the parking area, and refurbished and mulched the outdoor area.
Reading Hospitality has set up a hiring event at the club and is planning a community food truck event in October, the company said at a previous meeting.
There are not yet plans to reopen the first-floor restaurant at the club, but Reading Hospitality said it could be operational in 2024.
