Jan 16, 2018 2 min read

They follow most of the same protocols, but municipalities are like people – some are efficient, some are wracked by disorganization. Some are placid, others are disputatious.

North Franklin Township in Washington County would, at least right now, fall into the latter category.

The quarrels have become all the more heated since Martha Ward, a former supervisor, was appointed township manager last week. Ward lost her re-election bid last year, but nevertheless, sitting supervisors Ron Junko and Silvio Passalacqua voted to give her a new post. Bob Sabot, the returning supervisor who defeated Ward, was the dissenting vote on the three-member board. He said he was “dumbfounded” by Ward’s new job, and suggested it was discussed behind his back.

Ward might well be a good choice to be manager, given her years of experience as a supervisor and as North Franklin’s secretary and treasurer. But is she the best choice? Is the position necessary? She is also getting a $5-per-hour raise, even though the part-time hours she maintained as secretary and treasurer will not change.

If Sabot was, in fact, startled by the proposal, then Passalacqua and Junko need to do a better job of including him in their discussions. For that matter, it appears they need to do a better of job of cluing in all township residents.