Thomas Beltz, one of Carbon County's longest-serving chiefs of police, is retiring from that position in Franklin Township effective April 1.

Beltz has been a member of the Franklin Township Police Department for over 30 years.The supervisors on Tuesday named officer Jason Doll to serve as acting chief of police. Doll has been a police officer in the township for about 14 years.Rod E. Green, chairman of the board of supervisors, said, "The citizenship should see no change in the police coverage."He said this is because an acting chief has been named and three new part-time patrol officers were recently hired.The supervisors had a plaque prepared to present to Beltz at the meeting, but he couldn't attend because he was summoned to a call.All three supervisors praised Beltz for his service to the township.In other business:• Brenda E. Neeb, township secretary, said there will be a change in garbage collection for Good Friday. Garbage scheduled to be collected on April 14 will instead be picked up on Thursday, April 13.• Neeb reminded residents that an E-cycling event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 15, at the recycling bins along Fairyland Road. She said the E-cycling is for township residents only.• Only one firm submitted bids to supply the township with 10,000 gallons of low-sulfur diesel fuel and 6,000 gallons of heating oil.Superior Plus Energies of Montoursville provided the purchase price of $1.7862 per gallon for the diesel fuel and $1.752 for the heating oil.Superior Plus Energies presently supplies the township with diesel fuel and heating oil.There were no bids received for gasoline. As a result, the supervisors voted unanimously to buy the gas from Frank's Service Station on Route 209.• The supervisors agreed to allow the Franklin Township Athletic Association Auxiliary to hold its 2017 meetings at the township's administration office. They said the meetings are held on Sundays.• The supervisors will send a letter of support to the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program supporting the Carbon County Commissioners' request for funding the construction of an Emergency Operations and Fire Training Facility.• Approval was given for the township fire police to assist with traffic control and the parking of vehicles at the Lehighton Orioles Carnival from June 1-4.