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Manheim cites officer
BY ROCHELLE A. SHENK, Correspondent
Manheim Borough Council on Jan. 29 honored a retiring officer for his 25 years of service to the community.
Police Chief Joe Stauffer presented Officer Ron Shank, who served the Manheim Borough Police Department from Aug. 31, 1987, to Jan. 31, with the duty firearm that he used for the past five years as well as a badge identifying him as a retired police officer.
A native of Manheim, Shank said that it was important to serve the people that he grew up with. Prior to working with the police department, Shank volunteered with the Manheim Veterans Memorial Ambulance Association and the Manheim Fire Department.
During his years with the police department, Shank specialized in commercial motor vehicle carrier enforcement since 1989.
"I became interested in doing truck inspections and was one of the first police officers in the state to be certified to do so," Shank said during a Jan. 31 phone interview. "At that time, that was something that municipal police officers didn't do."
Shank also serves as a state constable.
Also Jan. 29, Steve Gabriel, interim borough manager, reported on the search for a permanent borough manager. He said 46 applications for the post, open for almost a year, had been received.
Gabriel also provided an update on the discussion with the Manheim Central School District about a possible new elementary school in Rapho Township on farmland at Hamaker and Prospect roads.
According to newspaper files, the proposal would close Stiegel and Burgard elementary schools in the borough.
Gabriel said that the school district engineer has presented a proposal for the area to be included in a traffic study. Gabriel asked council to recommend additional areas to be included in the study.
He said the Lancaster County Planning Commission indicated that the proposed use is not consistent with the Manheim Central Regional Comprehensive Plan. The plan was adopted by the borough and Rapho and Penn townships and approved by the school district in 2010.
On Jan. 30, Gabriel said that in order for the school project to move forward, Rapho should request that a change be made to the comprehensive plan.
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