Ross Township supervisors held a special meeting Monday to discuss its tax collector vacancy, which resulted from the death of Sharon Steen on Nov. 22.

Steen’s current term ends on Dec. 31. She ran unopposed in the November election, and her new term would have begun on Jan. 1, 2022.

Steen had served the township in various capacities for about 15 years. Before serving as the tax collector, she was a part-time secretary and part-time planning commission.

The supervisors have 30 days, which would be Dec. 22, to appoint someone to finish the current term and complete Steen’s various end-of-year duties.

Township resident Laurie Lapping submitted her resume, which includes tax preparation and accounting experience. She said she does not have tax collection experience, but she was willing to take the mandatory tax collection class and exam if selected for the position.

However, Vice Chairman David Shay’s motion to hire Lapping did not get a second by his colleagues, Chairwoman Tina Drake and Supervisor James Zahoroiko.

If they do not appoint a qualified resident, their other option is to form a Joint Tax District with a neighboring municipality, said Solicitor Tim McManus.

Drake and Zahoroiko showed interest in that option at last week’s supervisors meeting when the discussion originated.

Laura Hoffman, currently serving as the joint tax collector for Eldred and Polk townships, had worked alongside Steen in recent months and has become familiar with the township.

Hoffman was at both meetings and wants the job if Eldred and Ross form a joint tax district. Eldred supervisors are amenable to the idea, she said last week.

The Eldred-Polk joint tax district will end Dec. 31. Polk’s newly elected tax collector takes office on Jan. 1.

“I have to mail out her reminders to residents to pay their school tax bill, but that is the last task of Sharon’s term that I am able to do,” Hoffman said.

She is interested in the job for the new term, which begins Jan. 1, but does not wish to finish Steen’s current term.

“It is not good business practice for me to finish 2021. When something like this occurs, it is usually up to the person’s estate or bonding company. It is too much risk for someone to take over,” Hoffman explained.

It would be a better option for the township to do an audit, start to close out the accounts, and start with a new, clean slate on Jan. 1, she said.

“We have a real practical problem here. If Laura is not comfortable enough to do it, who would be?” McManus said. “This close to the end of the year is a big challenge. We are kicking the can down the road.”

Since no decisions were made, this matter goes to Ross Township vacancy board member Randy Detrick.