SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — A former candidate for South Whitehall's Board of Commissioners won the seat in another way Wednesday.
The township Vacancy Board appointed Public Safety Commission member Chris Peischl to a vacant seat on the board of commissioners.
Peischl ran for the board in the 2023 election in a candidate group with Commissioners Diane Kelly and Jacob Roth. He lost to Commissioner Thomas Johns, the only Democrat on the board.
“It wasn't the way it was anticipated, but I’m on the board, which is what I wanted."New South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners member Chris Peischl
Peischl said in an interview that he was excited to be appointed.
“It wasn't the way it was anticipated, but I’m on the board, which is what I wanted,” Peischl said.
Peischl will fill the remainder of former board Vice President David Kennedy’s term, which will last until the end of 2025. Kennedy decided to move out of the township to be closer to his grandson.
The vacancy board had to convene to fill it because the board of commissioners missed the Dec. 30 deadline to appoint someone. The vacancy board consists of the commissioners and David Torrey, a township resident who serves as the chairman.
The board voted 4-1 to appoint Peischl, with Johns as the dissenting vote.
Johns said he thought candidate Jamal Ahmed should be appointed. Ahmed is retired, but previously was vice president of internal audit at Day & Zimmermann in Philadelphia.
The board interviewed eight candidates for the vacancy at a special meeting on Dec. 28: Manjit Singh Walla, James Sullivan, Adeel Ahmad, Glenn Guanowsky, Peischl, Jamal Ahmed, Jeffrey Kemmerer and Michael Pascal.
‘There's no learning curve'
Kelly thanked all the candidates who applied. She said she thought Peischl was the best candidate for the job because of his history of volunteering and knowledge of the township.
“I noticed that Mr. Peischl was in the audience for most of our Board of Commissioners meetings last year,” Kelly said. “He was present during our budget review meetings, and he often shared his perspective and participated by asking insightful questions about the various agenda.”
Roth said Peischl’s understanding of emergency services, historic preservation and sewer infrastructure would be an asset to the board.
“This township and this board is going to be facing a significant number of complex challenges in the coming years… And with Chris joining the board, there's no learning curve,” Roth said.
"2,838 residents came out to vote for him. The difference was 137 votes, a very, very small margin,”Commissioner Monica Hodges
Commissioners Vice President Monica Hodges also spoke in favor of Peischl’s appointment, referencing the close numbers in the recent election.
“He knocked on doors and spoke with thousands of residents in pursuit of this position. 2,838 residents came out to vote for him," Hidges said.
"The difference was 137 votes, a very, very small margin."
Hodges encouraged the other candidates to apply to the vacancies on the township volunteer boards and commissions.
