Following the departure of two township managers and a secretary-treasurer in six months, Lancaster Township retained the assistance of Strategic Solutions to temporarily fill those roles and to determine what, if any, internal changes should be made.

“We're left a little bit short-handed with (former township manager) Danielle (Rich)'s surprise resignation, and I think it would be useful to have a third party come in and evaluate us from top to bottom,” supervisor Tim Zinkham said at the board of supervisors meeting Wednesday.

Rich resigned from her position March 24 via a same-day email citing personal reasons, according to supervisors Chairman Joe Plesniak. Former secretary-treasurer Christina Senft resigned effective March 25 to move into a new job, Plesniak added.

Strategic Solutions, the professional consulting company to which the township has turned, will provide temporary employees to fill those gaps while looking for ways to improve internally, according to Plesniak.

The company's website states Strategic Solutions, in addition to providing interim leadership, identifies “organizational challenges and solutions that will lead to more efficient administrative and operational functions” and various other services.

“I think it's important for somebody that's not local to come in with new eyes, too,” Plesniak said.

The company quoted the township a cost of $7,000 per month, which Plesniak said was reasonable.

“That may seem like a lot of money, but if you take the township manager's salary per month, then you add his benefits — we don't have to pay this company's benefits — then if you take a secretary-treasurer and her salary and her benefits, you're probably above $7,000 a month,” he said. “It's not a matter of 'this is too expensive.' In that regard, it's pretty much a wash.”

Supervisor Kris Kniess said while he thinks bringing in a third party to assist in the interim and help identify solutions is a good idea, he think the process was rushed.

“It's been radio silence since Danielle left,” Kniess said. “We've had zero discussion, and we've had one quote from one company. I agree we need to bring somebody in here to analyze everything and figure out what's going on and where.”

But Plesniak countered that there are pressing needs with which the company could help.

“We have no treasurer,” he said. “We're able to make payroll this time through the payroll service, but there are other bills that need to be paid. We're in a tough spot here. I think that we need professional help.”

Plesniak said supervisors have attempted to reach out to Rich following her resignation and did not receive a response. Rich did not return a call seeking comment.

“Whenever a person says it was for personal reasons, you have to take them on their word it was for personal reasons, and we don't know what those are,” he said.