Banfill New Chairman as BE Township Supervisors Reorganize

FAIRPOINT – Bald Eagle Township held its first meeting in three months Monday night, after Clinton County President Judge Craig Miller last week swore in two new members, bringing the board back to its full complement of three supervisors.

With newly appointed supervisor Gerard Banfill chairing the meeting, the township board quickly reorganized without dissent. First order of business was to accept the resignations of former supervisors James Bechdel Sr. and Jack Bechdel, the brothers resigning in May in the wake of a State Ethics Commission probe.

Newly appointed Clarence “Tuff” Rhine nominated Banfill, a former interim supervisor, as the new board chairman; that motion was seconded by incumbent board member Ken McGhee Jr. and approved. Next the board unanimously approved McGhee as vice-chairman. Both Banfill and Rhine pledged to help the township. Rhine said he was willing to listen to “everybody and anybody.” Banfill, who was serving as the township operations coordinator while the board was down to just one supervisor in recent months, said township staff has been “working diligently” and said a look at the township financials shows the township is in good fiscal shape.

Clinton County Court had become involved in June after a petition from township residents after the joint Bechdel brothers’ resignation the previous month. Their departure came after James Bechdel was ordered by the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission to pay more than $100,000 in penalties for violations of state ethics law. The state agency charged him with using the authority of his office to make purchases from the Federal Surplus Supply Property Program and “subsequently converted those items to his personal use and/or conveyed them to a member of his immediate family.” Bechdel and his brother/fellow supervisor Jack Bechdel were both implicated in the ethics report and subsequently resigned, leaving the township with one supervisor in McGhee until Banfill and Rhine were selected by the court and sworn in last week.