‘Level of great anguish.’ Halfmoon Township supervisor resigns due to upcoming move
A Halfmoon Township supervisor resigned Thursday evening as he prepares to move out of the township.
Bob Strouse, who was serving a six year term set to expire December 2023, submitted his resignation at the end of Thursday’s township meeting. He said he and his wife were presented with an “opportunity of a lifetime” to build a home of their dreams in Ferguson Township, a location in Centre County they’ve always admired.
“Unfortunately, my family’s next chapter will not be inside Halfmoon Township. In the coming weeks we will be listing our current home for sale and once our home is sold, I’ll be disqualified from serving on behalf of the township board of supervisors,” he said.
Between the stress and time commitments of selling his current home, overseeing construction of the new house, working a full time job, and serving on township and regional boards and committees, he said he became overwhelmed.
“My intentions have always been to remain on this board to serve the community as long as I can. It gives me a level of great anguish to know that I was elected to serve a six year term and I’m unable to complete that term. And for this I have regret and I’m sorry,” Strouse said.
As part of his remarks about resigning, he gave the remaining board members some advice, including doing “whatever it takes” to fully fund the Port Matilda Fire Department, which has struggled financially and been the topic of a recent meeting. He then reminded the board members — who have come under fire in recent months for transparency concerns and staff turnover — that they were elected to serve all of the taxpayers of the township, not just those who voted for them.
“Please respect the opinions of experts and consider all angles of every issue before making decisions, regardless of the topic,” Strouse said.
He also said “shortsightedness and preconceived opinions and budget scrimping are enemies to municipal government.” He encouraged the board to think about how decisions they make now will impact the township in the long term.
The board unanimously accepted his resignation; Chair David Piper thanked Strouse for his service.
“I’d like to officially thank Bob for service. I know that he and I do not always agree but as I said earlier today, I think his heart’s in the right place,” Piper said.
The board now has 30 days to appoint a new board member. If the vacancy remains unfilled after that 30 day period, the township vacancy board would have 15 days to fill the position.
Those interested in applying for the vacancy should submit a letter of interest and/or resume to Board of Supervisors, Halfmoon Township, 100 Municipal Lane, Port Matilda, or by email, supervisors@halfmoontwp.us. They must have been a resident of the township continuously for at least one year before the appointment.
The next Halfmoon Township supervisors meeting is set for 7 p.m. June 9.
