New Adams Township manager looking to make mark
Residents of Adams Township were introduced to their new manager, Mike Tylka, at a board of supervisors meeting on June 9.
Tylka succeeded Gary Peaco, who retired from his role in March after a seven-year run.
Although Tylka has worked in local government all over the country for 12 years, this marks his first time serving as a township manager.
“The role in Adams Township … is an exciting one, as it allows me to further utilize skill sets developed in job and educational experiences and fine-tuned through previous leadership roles,” Tylka said.
For Tylka, who grew up in the greater Pittsburgh area, the move to the township wasn’t too arduous. Most recently, he served as planning director for the Centre Region Council of Governments in Center County. However, Tylka’s career in public service has taken him to all corners of the country.
“I have served for over twelve years with local governments in multiple leadership roles in departments, agencies, and organizations of various sizes in Pennsylvania, Iowa, Wyoming and Colorado,” Tylka said.
Shortly after he was officially hired, supervisors said Tylka was the clear front-runner out of the dozens of candidates considered to fill Peaco’s shoes. For his part, Tylka said Adams Township appealed to him in many ways.
“The opportunity presented by the board of supervisors to build upon a solid foundation and have a real positive impact on the community attracted me to apply for the position,” Tylka said. “Additionally, the position really feels like the right fit given my previous experiences in growing communities that are looking to carry out their vision for the future.”
For his first township manager role, Tylka is walking into a community which, like many others in Butler County, is in transition. The once-agricultural community is in the middle of a population boom, with the township’s population more than doubling from 6,774 in 2000 to 14,844 in 2020. The expansion of the Route 228 corridor, which runs through the township, is expected to bring even more development.
“We are seeing a diversification in our housing stock that will provide a greater variety of options for those that want to live within township limits,” Tylka said. “Amenities coming closer to those in rural areas do bring certain benefits.”
However, Tylka believes the township will be able to ensure that it retains some semblance of rural character.
“Certain rural sections of the township are set up to retain a rural character,” Tylka said. “The township can continue to focus on ways to mitigate new traffic through the use of impact fees paid for by development.”
In the meantime, Tylka said he will use his first few weeks on the job to get a feel for what the residents of Adams Township expect and want from him.
“I am continuing to listen and will have continued conversations with township supervisors, staff and the public as to priorities,” Tylka said. “My goal is to develop a tiered list of long-term action items to work from for years to come.”
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