The Upper Frederick Board of Supervisors met on Dec. 28 to accept the resignation of David Hartline from the audit board, re-appoint Hartline to the planning commission, and consider candidates for vacant positions on the parks and recreation board, audit board, and zoning hearing board, but the meeting, originally scheduled for two hours, ended after 30 minutes without any of the agenda items being approved.

            During public comments resident Robert Marriott stepped to the podium to express his concerns regarding the meeting's agenda. "I just feel that all the business that is being done tonight, especially appointing a committee member, should have been left for the new board, and after the reorganization. This last-minute attempt to undermine the wishes of the residents of Upper Frederick Township, who voted for change, (in November two new supervisors were elected to the three-member board) is a blatant attack on the township residents.

            "This is a perfect example of the abuse of power that we have lived under for several years. This is just a last-ditch effort to keep control from past development of Upper Frederick, and what you are doing might be legal but is not morally correct, and I for one, am sick of it."

            Resident Buck Reed accused the board of violating General Assembly Act 69 since 2022. Reed said the act prohibits a person from serving on the planning commission and as an auditor, which Hartline has been doing.

            Reed also blasted Board Chair Sean Frisco for a perceived conflict of interest given Frisco's real estate license and his dealings with developers in the township.

            "You should resign," Reed said to Frisco, "because you are, in fact, literally, by every legitimate definition, abusing your power. You really are. And I'm going to be here every single meeting from now on to remind you of that."

            "Thank you for coming," retorted Frisco.

            After a resident asked Frisco to respond to the accusations, Frisco said, "We're not answering questions. We can answer questions if we choose to, but it's public comment. You can make your comments if you choose to."

            "If you're not going to defend yourself, I have to assume he's (Reed) telling the truth," the resident replied.

            Frisco asked township solicitor Kenn Picardi to clarify the law regarding township auditors also serving on the planning commission. 

            "If you are an auditor, you're not allowed to have any other elected or appointed position in the township. You're not allowed to be employed by the township either," replied Picardi.

            Picardi suggested that Hartline choose either the auditor or planning commission position and resign from the other position.

            Hartline stated he preferred to remain on the planning commission. Resident Ed Myers also expressed his interest in a position on the planning commission.

            Supervisor Tom Trojansky had reservations about moving forward with appointing Hartline to the planning commission. He had no problem with the appointment of Myers. 

            Supervisor Ron Di Francesco recommended that the board accept Hartline's resignation as auditor but not appoint him to the planning commission. He then apologized to the residents.

            "I was on the board when this happened. I did not know this, and I take responsibility for that.  I should have known that we couldn't do that, and I am sorry, to the residents, and I say that we leave it to the next board to appoint someone to their planning commission."

            After further discussion the board declined to accept Hartline's resignation nor to appoint anyone to the planning commission.

            The supervisors then heard from residents Susan Myers and Tracy Harper, both interested in a position on the parks and recreation board, but after a brief discussion, the board declined to appoint anyone to the parks and recreation board, audit board or zoning hearing board, instead leaving those decisions to the incoming supervisors in January.