
Mayor Phil Kramer took some time during the October 27 virtual Township Council meeting to recognize individuals who helped with the township’s Covid-19 response.
Kramer awarded those being recognized with special masks.
“This has been very trying times for all of us,” he said. “Some of us have stood out among others.”
“I know I’ve missed people, this is not an exclusive list, there will be other masks given out,” Kramer said. “I thought that for this first one, we would have some of the people on” the virtual meeting.
Those recognized at the meeting were Saffie Kallon, the township’s Special Projects Manager; IT Specialist Krista Hegedus; John Hauss, the Director of Fire Prevention; Public Safety Director Quovella Spruill; township resident Michael Steinbrück, Jonathan and Craig Slass, owners of Rotor Clip and E&J Equities, Dr. Mehnaz Haq and Frank Hasner, Executive Director of the Franklin Food Bank.
Kramer said that Kallon and Hegedus were responsible for getting the many communications about the virus out to township residents.
“They’ve really been really huge in getting that communication out and communication is so very important in this crisis,” he said.
Kallon thanked the mayor for the recognition, and reminded residents to wear their face masks.
Hegedus said that she got most of her information from Kramer’s posts about the virus.
Hauss, Kramer said, “has been doing an incredible job handling Covid emergencies, especially at the very beginning. It was just non-stop and a very stressful situation.”
“Thank you for the recognition, I appreciate that,” Hauss said. “I’m just one person on this team of people, there’s a lot of other people … I just happen to be the leader of the them right now. It’s been a long road and hopefully we’re coming to the end of it now, but who knows.”
Spruill accepted the recognition representing the township’s police, fire and first aid members.
“We could not do it without the endless work and cooperation and coordination with John Hauss and (Township Manager) Bob Vornlocker and all of you here,” Spruill said. “Every day, out first responders went to work. It wasn’t always easy because of the unknown, but we’re still here and we’re learning more each day.”
Steinbrück manages teh Mayor’s virtual town hall meetings, and also compiled videos from residents for the “Franklin Get Tested” campaign.
“I couldn’t have done a lot of the information sharing without him,” Kramer said. “What he did with the ‘Get Tested Franklin’ campaign was really huge.”
“Thank you back Mr. Mayor for all your hard work keeping our community informed,” Steinbrück said. “I just appreciate how the vast majority of our town came together in a time of crisis that isn’t over yet. I would have gone nuts just sitting on my couch.”
Kramer was a Township Councilman when a dispute between the Council and E&J Equities (Rotor Clip) over the digital billboard that would eventually be placed along Route 287. E&J Equities eventually won a court fight over the sign.
Kramer told the story of the sign and the dispute, and said that when teh township wanted to advertise the Covid testing program, he “swallowed my pride and gave them a call, and there was no hesitation, no I told you so, it was just an instant yes, of course we’ll do that. They helped get the word out about testing. I wanted to thank you for doing that.”
“We all live in this community together, and regardless of anything that’s happened in the past, when Rotor is asked or E&J is asked, we will say yes,” Jonathan Slass said.
“Thank you very much to the while community to allow us to support and help you,” co-owner Craig Slass said. “We will do it any time any moment, 24/7, 7 days a week to help Franklin Township.”
Zain Haq, representing Dr. Mehnaz Haq – who made a donation to the food bank – said his family was “proud to give back to the community.”
Hasner said that in the early days of the virus, Kramer would call him every evening and suggest business owners Hasner could approach for donations.
“Dr. Haq was the first person who donated,” he said. “There are too many to count. I know people are under stress these days, but I think there is consolation in that people are willing to come together.”