Manheim Township residents are intelligent and skilled. Manheim Township residents are civically minded. Manheim Township residents are forward thinkers.

Local residents are exactly what Manheim Township needs to plan and shape a brighter future.

"We're really looking for township residents who want to see the township become the best version of itself," said Porter Stevens, Manheim Township's community development director. "We're wanting folks who are excited to come to these meetings and give feedback on things staff have been working on. Overall, we're just looking for folks who are energetic and who are interested in their community. We want people who want to make Manheim Township better. So much can be made through the simple act of showing up."

Manheim Township is seeking public service-minded volunteers who are willing to become members of three proposed advisory committees that will report to the township board of commissioners. The fiscal sustainability advisory committee, the zoning ordinance update advisory committee and the comprehensive plan implementation committee, which are expected to be formed in the early weeks of 2026, will also provide citizens with a greater voice on the direction in which the local community heads.

Interested individuals can apply at https://bit.ly/MT-Volunteers by Friday, Dec. 19.

"We recognize that there are many residents who are very knowledgeable," said Stevens. "We want to be able to tap into that wisdom and experience. We want to ensure we're continuing to listen to the needs of the residents. When you have a large population, the challenge is to make people aware that these opportunities are out there. That's why we're trying to cast the largest net we can. We've already received applications for these committees. Some have backgrounds in public administration."

Applicants for the advisory committee membership should be Manheim Township residents, and each committee will be made up of five to 15 members. All applications for the volunteer positions will be reviewed by staff members, and the final decisions on who will serve on the committees will be made by the five members of the Manheim Township Board of Commissioners.

"We may be adjusting how many people we want on each committee to provide different perspectives on each topic," said Stevens. "With each committee, we're looking for a different cross-section of people. We are looking for people who have experience in that type of work. We don't really have a super involved process."

The three new advisory committees will meet four times a year to once a month, generally during the early evening hours of weekdays - possibly beginning around 5 or 5:30 p.m. - at the Manheim Township Municipal Office, 1840 Municipal Drive, Lancaster. Each committee is expected to conduct an organizational meeting before meeting regularly, possibly starting in April or May of next year.

"We have to worry about not conflicting with other meetings, and ultimately it's going to be about when people are available," said Stevens. "After a while, we'll get a feel for what works best and what makes sense. All the meetings will be open to the public. They aren't decision-making committees, and the minutes and agendas will be posted on our website. We really want to be transparent with what these committees are doing. We want these committees to be the voice for residents and the voice for the township."

The comprehensive plan implementation committee will oversee the execution of the township's 2035 comprehensive plan and provide the board of commissioners with updates on the progress of the implementation. The zoning ordinance update advisory committee, which will disband after 18 months, will serve as a steering committee for rewriting zoning ordinances. The fiscal sustainability advisory committee will focus on developing changes to policies that will stabilize and build up long-term township finances.

When the three new advisory committees are added, the number of boards and committees that Manheim Township operates will increase to 16.

"Planning is extremely important," said Stevens. "From the lessons we've learned over the last 25 years, it's important to get ahead of development and traffic congestion. These are all multifaceted and complicated issues, so it's important to think ahead and work as a community to make progress on these issues. We want to be proactive and not reactive. We want to have a high quality of life in the future."