Lower Towamensing Township is down to one employee.

At the meeting on Tuesday, the supervisors approved with regret the resignation of the township’s secretary, treasurer, tax delegate, open records officer, and the recording secretary for Planning Commission, all rolled up in one person - Christine Wentz.

“We thank her for her years of service to the township,” said Brent Green, the chairman of the supervisors. “She organized the office and left it a better place than when she arrived.”

James Nanovic, the township’s solicitor, said, “She will be sorely missed.”

Several members of the public thanked Wentz for her work and said she did her job well.

Resident Steve Meining asked Wentz if she would consider rescinding her letter of resignation. Wentz said no, because it wouldn’t change the criticism she has been enduring for the last several months.

“It’s a shame,” he said. “She does an excellent job and I hate to see her go.”

One of the critics has been Terry Kuehner.

Kuehner, who is the only candidate running for supervisor, has been attending township meetings this year with repeated criticisms of employee time cards, record keeping and other matters. Time cards were a subject he brought up again during the public comment portion at the beginning of the meeting.

“I want to know how the progress is in the tardiness of our employees at the township, because I want a copy of the last two months of time cards,” he said.

Green replied that in 20 minutes they would have only one employee.

“I don’t care,” Kuehner said. “I don’t care if it’s zero employees. I want to know when they punch in. I want a copy of the last two months of what times they punched in and what they put in for payroll. That’s what I want, ’cause they’re going to answer for it in the end with the ethics commission in Harrisburg. I am doing a portfolio of a profile of this township. You might not agree with me, and I don’t even care.”

Kuehner went on to say that he applied for a repair permit that was denied twice by a zoning officer in the township.

“I have pictures of an establishment of a building that was preexisting that under the law,” Kuehner said. “I could file a complaint with the township that he denied me access under the Fifth Amendment to due process. I have a legal right as a property owner to put a roof over my head, a pavilion. I wasn’t even going to enclose it that was there, but I will, but he denied me, so I’m going to go to the zoning board. I’m not going to apply for anything. I’m not going to build anything because this board deters me from it.”

He added, “Why would I pay taxes to a township that is a failure? This township is a failure.”

The township never had many employees, but over the past several months it has lost its roadmaster and needs at least one more full-time road crew member.

Green said that for several years Lower Towamensing Township has been able to maintain its road with a high level of efficiency. Now with only one employee, residents are going to see a decline in the level of service, he said.

“There’s a clear difference between now and in the past,” Green said.

During the meeting, a resident asked how much the road crew gets paid. Green said the job requires having a CDL license in order to drive the trucks, and jobs with that requirement often pay more than the township can afford.

“You can go to Walmart and get $27 an hour,” he said.

The township will pay between $18 and $22 per hour with the roadmaster making the higher end of the scale. The township also offers medical benefits, a pension, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance and paid time off.

Anyone interested in apply for one of the positions at the township is welcome to email their resume to lowertow@ptd.net, drop it off in the drop box at the office or mail it to Lower Towamensing Township Municipal Building, 595 Hahns Dairy Road, Palmerton, PA 18071.