LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - East Hempfield Township’s solicitor cited understaffing — not incompetence — as contributing to a breakdown in the township codes department, which was criticized in a recent report.

His comments came at a meeting Wednesday where the wife of a codes official who resigned in the wake of the report accused a township supervisor of having a personal dispute with her husband.

East Hempfield officials also announced Wednesday another employee is leaving the township.

Problems with codes enforcement came to light in recent months when an inspection report conducted by an outside agency found some records were not being kept properly, data were incomplete and some employees lacked proper certification.

In addition, field inspections indicated serious building-code violations at several homes in the Village Grande at Millers Run development.

Those problems are what prompted supervisors to seek a review of department procedures.

Solicitor Stephen Kraybill said the codes department issue has taken a negative personal turn.

“I think it’s extremely unfortunate that things have been characterized on a individual level,” Kraybill told a standing-room-only crowd.

Alluding to the report, Kraybill said, “I read that ... as saying we all did not provide the resources to operate the department the way it should have been operated. “It seems as if the individual code persons have been targeted, when it could have been the conclusion that the department was simply understaffed.”

Supervisors and township officials said Wednesday they have taken steps to rectify many issues cited in the report and will continue to do so. They did not specifically address Kraybill’s concerns about staffing.

Earlier in the meeting, Cindy Kistler — wife of outgoing senior township code officer Ron Kistler — spoke passionately in defense of her husband, who resigned earlier this month.

She also took aim at supervisor Heidi Wheaton and resident Lisa Shaw, a critic of township government. “It’s no secret you dislike my husband,” Kistler said angrily. “But (the two of you) should be held up to the standards of the rest of the township residents.”

Kistler called for Wheaton to resign. “Heidi says she wants ‘new blood’ in the township,” Kistler said, referring to a Jan. 4 newspaper article in which Wheaton expressed optimism about the changes within the township “The point is, she wants hand-picked blood.”

Kistler said Wheaton pushed for Code Administrators, owned by Jason Stevens, to take over township building-inspection responsibilities on a temporary basis.

Wheaton continues to support Stevens, even though he’s not certified, Kistler said.

Township manager Robert Krimmel said Stevens’ certification expired Dec. 26. Stevens took the required classes for his certification but neglected to turn in the paperwork, Krimmel said. “He has one year to do that. I do have to say I’m a little disappointed, but I am confident he’ll take care of it.”

Wheaton told Kistler the report on the codes department clearly states Ron Kistler made mistakes.

“He didn’t fully implement codes,” Wheaton said. “And that’s a matter of record.”

Also Wednesday, Krimmel announced the resignation of Mark Hiester, acting director of planning and development.


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