Dec 5, 2017 4 min read

When Frank Siffrinn started as manager of North Strabane Township 25 years ago, the overall budget was only 15 percent of what it is today.

“When I first started, our total budget was $2.15 million,” he said in an interview. “Since I’ve been here, it’s grown to $13.6 million.”

Siffrinn said in those 25 years, the employee workforce has doubled, the population has more than doubled and the tax base has tripled. After all that time and growth, Siffrinn announced last month he will be retiring next year.

“I love what I do,” Siffrinn said. “I have fun working. There’s never been a day that I got up, looked in the mirror and said, ‘I don’t want to go to work today.’ It’s been fun and enjoyable.”

Siffrinn said his wife, Nancy, retired as a nursing manager with Washington Health System in August. When he retires in April, he said they have plans to travel, do volunteer work and spend time with their children. He also said he may do some consulting for municipalities.

The board of supervisors has advertised the township’s manager position in statewide publications. Siffrinn said the submission deadline is later this month. Siffrinn said he suspects the board will start interviewing for the position in January and have the position filled by March.

Siffrinn said he would like to sit in on those interviews, but that his only real concern is that the board hires the “best, most qualified person for the job.” Siffrinn said his last day will likely be April 6.

“What I’ll miss the most is our staff,” Siffrinn said. “We’ve worked together as a team and supported each other. I will miss being part of an organization whose existence and the decisions that are made impact the daily lives of our residents.”

Before coming to North Strabane, Siffrinn said he had 14 years in public management under his belt with municipalities in central Pennsylvania.

“I was a small-borough manager, too, at one point, and I wore many hats there,” he said. “There’s not too much that I haven’t done, and I think that’s what made me so valuable here.”

Siffrinn said half the township didn’t have public water 25 years ago, and many of the wells were contaminated from mining. Now, 98 percent of the township has access to water, he said.

“We were successful in getting a lot of grant money for that project,” he said.

In his time here, Siffrinn said he’s secured more than $3 million in grant funding for township projects. “A successful manager pays for himself,” he said.

Siffrinn also has worked on two comprehensive plans for the township, one in 2001 and more recently in 2016. In 1992, the township had no building codes, but Siffrinn said after he was hired that’s one of the first things he worked on. Now the township not only has codes, but also three full-time code-enforcement officers. The fire and police departments also have more than doubled in size in the 25 years.

“One of the things I’m most proud of is our overall financial management of the township and our budgetary performance over that period of time,” Siffrinn said.

Siffrinn said the township hasn’t raised taxes since 1993, and its cash reserves are about 24 percent of the operating budget.

“I’m leaving the township in excellent financial condition,” he said. “You’re only as good as your bottom line.”

Siffrinn said he hopes the township will continue managing its budget in a “prudent and responsible manner,” and continue in the standards he used in managing it – transparency, professionalism and honesty.

“My father always had a saying, ‘You do the best you can with the tools in your hand,'” Siffrinn said. “I’ve always strived for that and hope I haven’t disappointed anyone.”