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Lower Saucon Township Council Member Resigns

Josh Popichak

Lower Saucon Township Council voted 4-1 Jan. 19 to donate $50,000 to the Hellertown Area Library instead of approving a nwe five-year library services agreement that would have cost roughly 10 times that amount over the life of the agreement. The lack of an agreement should not prevent township residents from accessing the library and its programs, township officials contended, citing the state's ACCESS program. Some library supporters, however, argued that the council and its solicitor's interpretation of municipalities without agreements with a "home library" are afforded access is incorrect. In what council president Jason Banonis called a "proactive" effort to prevent any efforts by the Hellertown Area Library board of directors and/or borough officials from barring township residents from the institution, council voted 4-1 to approve commencement of legal action should access to the library be denied. Pictured from left are township manager Leslie Huhn, Banonis, solictor Linc Treadwell and council vice president Jennifer Zavacky. (FILE PHOTO)

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A member of Lower Saucon Township Council resigned Wednesday, after less than five months in office.

Citing professional and personal commitments that have impacted her work-life balance, Lower Saucon Township Council vice president Jennifer Zavacky announced her resignation from council Wednesday. (FILE PHOTO)

Council vice president Jennifer Zavacky announced her resignation in a May 18 letter to interim township manager Peter Marshall, her fellow council members and township residents.

A Republican, Zavacky last fall ran on the same winning ticket as council president Jason Banonis and councilman Tom Carocci.

She said in her letter that it was “an honor” to serve her fellow residents and that “recent personal and professional matters…prompted this difficult decision.”

“I am encouraged by the recent meetings and discussions with community stakeholders along with neighboring municipalities, and I am sorry to be leaving before my term is over,” she wrote. “However, because of a new career change in 2022 and required time commitments to balance work, family, health and personal time, I no longer have the ability to perform my duties with the focus and dedication they deserve.”

In a Saucon Source candidate questionnaire she answered last October, Zavacky said she was currently employed full-time as a Senior Alliances Manager and regional team leader for a global business and technology consulting firm.

“If elected to council I will bring my energy and talents as a leader, mentor, parent, coach and natural people-connector to guide our township into the future,” she promised.

Since shortly after taking her seat on council, Zavacky was involved in ongoing discussions about the Hellertown Area Library that began when council decided not to adopt a new library services agreement in January; instead opting to donate $50,000.

Zavacky was appointed council liaison to the HAL board but only served briefly, until shortly after the township’s agreement ended on Jan. 31. The issue of library services for township residents remains unresolved, with Lower Saucon council members recently voicing a preference for a regional solution; something Zavacky had also talked about.

It will now be up to the four remaining members of Lower Saucon Township Council to appoint a resident to replace Zavacky for the first part of her unexpired, four-year term.

A special election for a two-year term that will constitute the remainder of what was to have been Zavacky’s term will be held in November 2023.

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