Guy Seifert is Towamensing Township's newest supervisor.

Tom Nanovic, solicitor, gave the oath of office to Seifert, at the board's end-of-year meeting Tuesday.Under the public business portion of the meeting, Gerald George said he felt he was getting a runaround. He was selling Christmas trees from his camper at Country View restaurant when he received a letter dated Nov. 21, stating he would have to talk to the zoning officer and get a permit.He thought the complaint came from the Beers family, but Supervisor Penny Kleintop said it did not. She said after talking to zoning officer Christine Meinhart, he got a temporary permit.George wanted to know why others selling trees in the township did not need permits. Secretary Lora Nothstein said the Beers property is zoned differently because he is selling his own product on his own agricultural land.Nanovic said it is not a problem for the supervisors but should be appealed to the zoning hearing board and that the supervisors should not overrule the zoning officer.The Shire at Emerald Hills development was tabled after supervisors talked to engineer Ron Tirpak.The planning commission recommended denying a plan for Blue Mountain Church which has eight zoning violations and 35 subdivision and land development issues. The zoning issues have to be resolved or a waiver approved.No representative attended the commission meeting, said planner Guy Seifert. The plan is approaching the end of the timeline which was why denial was recommended.In other business:• Meinhart said an amendment was needed to the wind turbine ordinance because some are being built with two turbines on a single pole. It was stressed that it would not become a wind farm. The amendment will go to the planning commission.• The board voted to join the Township Emergency Management Association, a part of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors. The cost is $125.• Office computers will be updated at a cost of approximately $1,000.• A workshop to discuss rewriting the zoning and subdivision ordinances in Towamensing only was tentatively set for Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. The next two-township meeting to rewrite ordinances will be at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27 at Towamensing. There will be no January meeting. Supervisor Tom Newman said the schedule of meetings should be put in writing.• Seifert said he had not realized the differences in goals between the two townships. Newman said Towamensing zoning should be overlaid on the template provided by Hanover's Steve Dellinger who is leading the discussions.• The reorganization meeting will be held Jan. 3 at 5 p.m. to be followed by the regular monthly meeting.• William Acierno submitted a letter of interest for a position on the zoning hearing board. A person will be appointed at the reorganization meeting.• January zoning dates will be 4, 11, 18 and 25 from 5 to 7 p.m. or by appointment at

info@towamensingtownship.com or 610-681-4202 ext. 11.• When the work crew is cutting trees at the ballpark, they will be required to wear hard hats and chaps. Supervisor Rodney George will order the chaps. The hats are at the township but have not been used.• Newman thanked George for his 25 and a half years of service to the township as a supervisor.