Help Wanted in West Norriton

In case you haven't been following the story in The Times Herald, our neighbors in West Norriton are hiring.

According to The Herald, Township Manager Karen Madden's contract was inexplicably terminated in unanimous vote by the West Norriton Board of Commissioners in a special meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 1. While the official line is that she retired, quite a few folks have suggested some political power playing behind the scenes was involved.

“It’s a startling development, because Karen Madden has been a long-time employee and was recently praised for her management of the budget process," a West Norriton resident told The Herald. "Several commissioners praised her. There was no hint of this retirement. This surprises me and it has come to pass in such a sudden way. That she is retiring and is not here to explain why she is retiring.”

While the hunt for a new township manager commences, former manager Joseph Hein, who had retired from the position in August 2006, is filling in as temporary manager. According to The Herald, the board of commissioners asked the 69-year-old Hein to step in until they could find a suitable replacement. (Madden had reportedly been promoted to township manager after Hein retired. She was an administrative assistant for the township prior to that.)

According to West Norriton solicitor Bob Kerns, Hein will pull down $55 an hour as acting township manager – a figure that Kerns says is on par with Madden's salary.

In the meantime, West Norriton is on the hunt for a new township manager. They've posted the position to the International City/County Management Association's website as well as posted a request for qualifications to the township's website. You can download a copy of the request in our PDF section.

If you're interested in the position, send your resume to Joe Hein.