Spring Township names new manager, but will now need a new police chief
Spring Township found its next manager, but will soon begin a search for its next police chief.
The township’s supervisors appointed police Chief Mike Danneker to replace Manager Bill MacMath, who is set to retire in February after more than 27 years with the township. Danneker’s last day as chief will be Nov. 30, he said.
“It’s a feeling that I can’t really describe,” Danneker said Tuesday. “... Obviously, I’m excited for a challenge. I know I have a lot to learn at a pretty rapid pace so I can be in a position of comfort, but not putting on the uniform every day will be a challenge at times.”
Danneker, a more than 20-year veteran of the township’s police department, entered law enforcement about 28 years ago. He was named acting police chief in June 2013.
His application was spurred by his pending retirement from law enforcement, along with the thought that the township’s manager position may not be available for another decade or two.
The township interviewed about five people for the position since June. Danneker’s municipal experience and familiarity with the township were highlights of his application, MacMath said.
“I expect to spend a lot of time with him going over the day-to-day and overall operation,” MacMath said. “Let him loose a little bit in January, so in February he’s ready to roll. Will he know everything by then? No, he will not. But he’ll have a good feeling for it by then.”
Danneker, a Pittsburgh native who was raised in State College, told his fellow officers about his departure during a departmental meeting, detective Luke Nelson said. He has worked under Danneker’s leadership for about four years.
“One thing I will always respect about working for chief was the fact that no matter what outward pressure he may have faced, if his officers did their job and did the best we could, he would have our backs,” Nelson said. “He was not shy about vocalizing his support for his department.”
The township has discussed appointing a veteran officer as officer-in-charge when Danneker exits as chief, though nothing has been finalized, Danneker said. His first priority is to maintain the township’s accountability and continuity.
“I never thought this day would come, where I’d be retiring from one gig and moving on to another career,” Danneker said. “... This is an excellent opportunity the township has afforded me. I think it all is a blessing for me and my family.”
MacMath has been the township’s manager for the past 15 years, a position he secured after 12 years as the township’s zoning officer.
Not raising taxes for more than a decade and bringing the township’s ordinances “into the 21st century,” were two of his proudest successes. But as with most retirements, MacMath said he will miss his coworkers and the township’s residents.
“I’ve worked with a lot of the people here for a long time,” MacMath said. “The citizens, we have some good ones and we have some bad ones. I’ll miss the good ones; I won’t miss the bad ones. But that’s probably what I’ll miss more than anything else.”
This story was originally published November 12, 2019 at 4:08 PM.