MIDDLESEX TWP — The township again will be looking for a new township manager. The current manager, Adam Hartwig, has accepted a job with Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. at the end of June.

At a meeting Wednesday, the township’s board of supervisors accepted Hartwig’s resignation from a portion of his role as emergency management coordinator and nominated administrative assistant Marla Klabnik to the role.

Klabnik is serving as the township’s secretary until the borough finds someone to fill Hartwig’s position. The township plans to work with the Allegheny League of Municipalities to identify what would work best and potentially facilitate a search for a new manager, she said.

Hartwig began working for the township in July 2020 and was responsible for the roles of secretary, treasurer, zoning officer, open records officer and emergency management coordinator. Previously he worked in Winfield Township as township secretary/zoning officer for eight years.

Tax collector Mallory Muchnok was named to fill the treasurer position.

Hartwig said in an interview that he plans to bring his experience from Winfield and Middlesex to his new role at HRG.

“A lot of my work right now is going toward stormwater authorities, stormwater authority rate calculations, water, wastewater tap fee analysis calculations, as well as rate studies,” Hartwig said. “Part of (HRG’s) restructuring process is to bring in different perspectives — people who have been in the management sector of local government who are going to bring a different perspective.”

Resident Jaime Krenach Wharton, who is a member of the township’s parks and recreation committee, asked the board of supervisors why the swingset in Middlesex Township Community Park had been removed. She cited a previous Parks Committee plan to preserve the swingset while the new playground is installed.

“I don’t think it was done the right way,” Wharton said. “That should have been announced somewhere.”

She added that she has been fielding questions on Facebook as to what would happen to the swingset.

Supervisors Donald Marshall said the structure was removed to make way for a future restroom building, adding that two of the pipes on the set were “rotted off.”

Klabnik also discussed a quote from Jeffrey and Associates for a new swingset, which would cost upward of $38,000 for the swingset and fall surface. The proposed new swingset would include two infant bucket swings, two special-needs swings, and four regular belt swings.

Hartwig said that the swings needed to be replaced.

“It makes sense to replace it and put something new in. It will tie in better with the new playground as well,” he said. “It’s going to be a complete unit that is going to offer more usage options, as far as the belts, buckets and special-needs swings, than what we would have had before.”