By Frank Mustac, Contributor
Hopewell Township Committee members approved the promotion of township employee Randi Knechel to the position of senior service coordinator.
Ms. Knechel’s duties as coordinator will be to develop and implement a program and services for the senior citizens of Hopewell Valley, according to a general job description for the full-time position.
According to the township, the new coordinator will receive an annual salary of $63,195, plus benefits. Back in April 2013, the Hopewell Valley News reported that the senior coordinator’s salary was $56,941.
The senior services coordinator position is part of the Hopewell Township Health Department, Mayor Kevin Kuchinski said during the Nov. 28 Township Committee meeting.
Although the coordinator will be an employee of Hopewell Township, the boroughs of Pennington and Hopewell have made commitments to provide $5,000 each as part of a shared services agreement for the position.
Capital Health, which operates Capital Health Medical Center in Hopewell Township, is also providing a $31,000 grant that will go towards funding salary and benefits for the senior coordinator.
“In February of this year, our senior services coordinator departed and resigned from Hopewell Township,” Township Administrator Paul Pogozelski said, referring to former coordinator Abigail Waugh.
Since Ms. Waugh’s departure, Ms. Pogozelski said the township had been in the process of retooling the position and searching for potential candidates.
“There was a process by which we (the township) interviewed candidates, but also the senior advisory board interviewed candidates, and during one of those processes, Randi rose to the top,” Mr. Pogorzelski said. “(She) has been serving as staff liaison (to the Hopewell Valley Senior Advisory Board) and is presently serving in capacity of its secretary, but graciously accepted the extra workload to provide the services as a senior services coordinator.”
Larry Mansier, chairman of the Hopewell Valley Senior Advisory Board, said the he “could not think of a better time” to welcome Ms. Knechel to the position.
Following the committee’s decision, Committeewoman Julie Blake praised Ms. Knechel’s previous work for the township and said she looked forward to seeing what will be in store for the local seniors in the coming months.
“You show great compassion to everyone and it’s a real testament to you that everybody saw that in you, so congratulations,” Ms. Blake said.
