At Monday’s first supervisors meeting of 2022, Randy Detrick was seated in the center of the table between his new township colleagues.

It is the seat that Tina Drake, former chairwoman, sat until her term ended in December. She served three six-year terms and did not seek re-election, stating it was time for a new face and new ideas.

Detrick ran unopposed, and his mission in life is “to add value to others. I was raised by a wonderful single mom. My heroes include John Maxwell, Vince Lombardi Sr., Vince Lombardi Jr. and Randy Pausch,” he said in a video he posted on the township Facebook page prior to Monday’s meeting.

His goals as a new supervisor include digitizing all the township’s documents, introducing term limits for supervisors, and looking into the pros and cons of hiring a township manager to implement and facilitate the goals and directives of the supervisors.

“I can see a world where within Ross Township, there’s lots of family fun activities, thriving county side businesses, quaint places to eat and household income and property values continue to rise,” he said in the video.

He credits the great place Ross is today to strong leaders such as Howard Beers, Howard Beers Jr., Butch Kresge, Drake, David Shay, Sharon Steen, Doris Price, Russ Kresge, Jim Zahoroiko, Danielle Romano and Ethen Brewer.

Monday’s meeting began with reorganization, in which Zahoroiko was selected as chairman, Shay remained vice chairman and Detrick as the third supervisor.

“I know that Dave works all day and Randy owns a business. My days are pretty free and I can come over to the office to help out,” Zahoroiko said after the meeting.

Many roles stayed the same: Secretary-Treasurer Danielle Romano; road foreman Ethan Brewer; solicitor Tim McManus; engineer Russ Kresge of Keystone Consulting Engineers; Nate Boiler, alternate engineer; sewage enforcement officer Ryan Engler; sewer enforcement alternate Jonathan Shupp; zoning hearing board solicitor James Fareri and alternate is someone from his office; planning commission solicitor Michael Gaul of the firm King, Spry, Herman, Freund and Faul and the alternate is someone from his office; emergency management coordinator Brian Stankovich; earned income tax liaison is Berkheimer; Mike Galler and Carl Biechy as members of the zoning hearing board; Herb Stecker as a member of the planning commission; and CPA auditors Kirk Summa and Company.

Drake will remain the West End Parks and Open Space Commission representative and Zahoroiko will be the alternate.

Zahoroiko will also serve as the UCC Joint Board of Appeals member and Pocono Mountains Council of Government representative.

After a short discussion, Dave Trout was chosen for the Vacancy Board member over his predecessor, Frank Perano.

Detrick was named CJERP (Chestnuthill, Jackson, Eldred, Ross, Polk) regional planning committee voting member, and Roger Christman, from the planning commission, was named as the second member.

Shay is the delegate to the Monroe County Tax Committee.

They decided any supervisor who is available to attend can be the voting delegate to the state convention, as well as the PSATs delegate to attend the Annual Education Conference.

“We have discussed the time of the meeting and would like to start at 6 p.m. We do not want to inconvenience anyone from the public. Sometimes meetings run long, and it makes for a late night,” said Zahoroiko.

The three voted to move the meetings from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the first Monday of the month, starting in February. If a holiday occurs that day, the meeting will be held the following Monday.

Supervisors voted for a 3 percent pay raise for all township hourly employees.

They voted to keep the treasurer’s bond at $800,000.

Zahoroiko was adamant in his request to add the day after Thanksgiving as a paid holiday. Detrick voted in favor with him. Shay voted against it. Employees will now have 12 paid holidays and the office is closed two days, when the building is used as an election polling place.

The township will pay 58.5 cents per mile, which is the new federal rate.