Knowles Returns As Bensalem Council President

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA —As he has done for over 30 years, Mayor Joseph DiGirolamo took the helm of the first Township Council meeting of the year for the board's reorganization.

With the mayor's announcement that a council president needed to be selected, a quick nomination and second suggested that a familiar face would once again be back on board.

Councilman Joseph Knowles is back leading the five-member board after spending the past year as the council secretary.

"Thank you, it's an honor to serve Bensalem the best that I can," Knowles said.

Next came the call for vice president of the council. That vote went to Councilman Edward Kisselback, who served for the past two years as president.

With Knowles' departure as secretary, Councilwoman Michelle Benitez was appointed to fill that post.

Besides the change with Benitez, the township also has a new position for Finance Director John Chaykowski, who has worked for the township for 27 years. He's become the township's director of administration.

Meanwhile, Debbie McBreen was unanimously appointed as assistant secretary and municipal clerk.

Joseph Pizzo was appointed as the township's solicitor while Phil Wursta was appointed as engineer.

Penn Community Bank was also named the official depository for the township.

The council also approved several appointments to various boards and commissions and set its meeting dates for the year.