The meeting room in the Upper Frederick Township building was filled to capacity as residents gathered to hear multiple candidates' interview for either the vacancy board chairman position or the temporary vacancy on the board of supervisors (BOS).

            The openings came about after the State Ethics Commission in Harrisburg issued its final adjudication finding BOS Vice Chairman William Tray in violation of parts of sections 1103, 1104, and 1105 of the State's Ethics Act.

            The ethics commission determined that Tray violated the act when he sold a piece of personal property (i.e., a Shaker Buddy Box) to the township "without an open and public process", "resulting in a pecuniary benefit to himself", and for failing to file required statements of financial interest as required by the act.

            For these violations, Mr. Tray was fined $5,000. Although Tray has not attended a BOS meeting since July 2022, he officially resigned his seat effective on January 12, creating the temporary vacancy to be filled for a full term in November's election.

            The first action on the agenda was to appoint a resident to the township's vacancy board chairman position. The role of that chairman is to act as a tiebreaker in the unlikely event the two remaining supervisors cannot agree on which candidate to appoint to the vacancy.

            Residents William Karaffa, David Garlich, and Nicole King stepped to the podium to present their qualifications and answer questions from the board, who after a brief deliberation, selected King to fill the position.

            Presentations by candidates for supervisor began with Les Benzak, a 10-year resident of the township. Benzak's qualifications include managing his own financial planning business for 20 years, serving as Abington Township's commissioner for two terms and serving on the Abington BOS for 6 and 1/2 years.

            Benzak's stated priorities include promoting greater transparency and improving communication between the BOS and the community (e.g., recording meetings and posting links to the videos on the township's website), fiscal responsibility, avoiding conflicts of interest and promoting smart development.

            Benzak expressed doubt that his candidacy would be taken into serious consideration by the board, who he said "are not willing to have a truly independent person on the board."

            Next at the podium was William Landman, a longtime resident who has operated a farm in the township for the past 10 years. Landman's qualifications include obtaining the security clearance required for employment with the Pentagon and IRS, working for various Fortune 500 companies "rolling out anywhere from 1 to 35 stores", managing employees, assisting financial analysts, and helping to identify and resolve waste issues.

            Landman has previous experience as an EMS volunteer and working with his church as a disaster relief liaison. Landman assured the BOS that although he had run for a seat on the board in 2021 and may do so again in November, he bore no animosity towards any board members and, if selected, would work with them in an amicable, professional, and open-minded fashion.

           Landman said he would prioritize honesty, integrity, impartiality, transparency, and communication with township residents.

            Landman was followed by Ed Myers, who has been a resident of UFT since 1982. Mr. Myers has an environmental background and volunteers at the Perkiomen Watershed. His chief priorities are to preserve the rural nature of UFT by minimizing development and addressing local environmental issues.

            Last to speak was Thomas Trojansky, who has lived in the township since 2008. Trojansky is the owner of Plymouth Ambulance Service, which is the busiest EMS provider in Montgomery County, and is now the sole EMS provider for the township.

            In the past, Trojansky has run organizations and businesses "from the top down" and "taken companies that were in the red and brought them into the clear". Having run for office previously, he is versed on the supervisor role.

          Trojansky disputed the perception of nepotism and a lack of transparency on the part of the board. He emphasized integrity and fairness in all aspects of governance and acknowledging feedback from township employees and residents. He supports open space while respecting developers' right to build in the township.

            After the candidate presentations were completed, residents were given an opportunity to question the applicants.

            King stepped to the podium with numerous questions for each of the candidates. Karaffa voiced concerns with Trojansky regarding the possible imposition of a new EMS and/or Fire tax. Karaffa also voiced concern that should Trojansky become a member of the board, a potential conflict of interest would result, as his actions on the board could have a direct financial impact on Plymouth Ambulance Service. Board members then asked questions of the candidates.

            During the public comment period, a resident expressed skepticism that the current board could select the best candidate for supervisor given the "contentious relationship" between some board members and some of the applicants.

            Other residents expressed disappointment and sadness over the events leading to Tray's resignation and strongly advised the board to avoid appointing anyone with a financial relationship with the township, emphasizing that even the "appearance" of a conflict of interest is a serious issue that must be addressed.

            The board's decision will be announced at the next public meeting on Feb. 9.