The Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS) held its 100th annual Educational Conference and Exhibit Show from April 23 to 26 at Hershey Lodge, where two Lebanon County township officials received special recognition.

North Londonderry Township supervisor Ronald Fouché was awarded the 34th annual President’s Leadership Award at the Excellence Awards ceremony. The prestigious award, established in 1990, honors a township supervisor and an administrator who demonstrate dedication, creativity, and leadership in their service to their township.

“Ron Fouche is a legend and a stable force at North Londonderry Township,” said Lebanon County Commissioner Jo Ellen Litz in a press release. “He is full of energy, ideas, and guidance.”

Organizers said that Fouché, with over five decades of local government experience, received the award for his significant contributions to North Londonderry Township, including helping create the first zoning map and ordinances, securing a $1 million state grant for a wastewater treatment plant, and assisting outreach programs in Palmyra.

In addition to his tenure with North Londonderry Township, Fouché also had a career as a 60-plus-year employee of Seltzer’s Smokehouse Meats.

“Ron is tireless in his efforts, and his attention to detail is superior,” said former state Rep. Frank Ryan in a press release. “During my tenure (as representative) from 2017 until November 2022, Ron was a tireless advocate for North Londonderry and for sound township legislation statewide.”

In the same conference, Jennifer Harding, the manager of Swatara Township, graduated from the PSATS Municipal Government Academy (PMGA), a leadership and municipal education program.

Harding was among 10 individuals to complete the diploma program, earning 60 points across the four tracks of administration, planning and zoning, public safety, and public works. The PMGA provides practical information and strategies to help participants perform their duties more efficiently.

Jennifer Harding, Swatara township manager (right), recently graduated from the PSATS Municipal Government Academy, a leadership and municipal education program offered by the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors. Pictured alongside PSATS executive director David Sanko, Harding received her diploma at the annual Educational Conference held in Hershey this April. (Provided photo)

Organizers said that the conference attracted attendees from every county in Pennsylvania, celebrating the accomplishments of townships and township officials across the state.

PSATS represents Pennsylvania’s 1,454 townships of the second class, serving 5.7 million residents, more than any other type of political subdivision in the commonwealth.

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