South Whitehall's Community Development Director Jeff Higgins will retire on Friday, bringing to three the number of township employees who have so far taken the township's offer of an early retirement package.

Higgins has worked for South Whitehall for 24 years, a job that had him overseeing development projects, the township's new comprehensive plan and changes to township ordinances.

Township Manager Jon Hammer announced Higgins' pending retirement at Wednesday's commissioners' meeting, as the commissioners appointed John G. Frantz as the township's new primary building code official and code enforcement officer.

Higgins was not at the meeting.

The township had offered early retirement packages to 17 employees in the public works, finance and economic development areas. Linda Perry, who was the township's finance director, was the first of three employees to voluntarily take early retirement, ending a 41-year career with the township. 

Hammer said he will know in about two weeks if any additional employees will take the offer.

South Whitehall offered the early retirements in an effort to reduce township staff in a challenging economy. With salaries and benefits accounting for 79 percent of the township budget, Hammer has said the effort would help put South Whitehall on a path to financial stability. 

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