Ferguson Township is beginning the search for a new chief administrator.
Township Manager David Pribulka, who has served in the role since May 2017, formally submitted his letter of resignation to the Board of Supervisors on Monday night. His resignation is effective Feb. 28.
Pribulka wrote in an email to StateCollege.com on Monday that he is leaving to become manager of Susquehanna Township in Dauphin County.
“I’m excited to take on a new challenge in another great community, and it also brings me a little closer to my hometown and fits my families’ needs a bit better,” Pribulka wrote. “That said, it was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make, and I’ll definitely look back on these days with fond memories.”
Prior to his appointment as manager, Pribulka was Ferguson Township’s assistant manager from 2012 to 2017.
“I want you to know that it has been one of the greatest honors of my life to serve the Board of Supervisors and the residents of Ferguson Township for these last nine years,” Pribulka wrote in his letter of resignation.
“I am proud to leave this community in a strong, progressive place and in a stable financial position while delivering some of the most outstanding public services of any municipality in the Commonwealth.”
After accepting Pribulka’s resignation, the Board of Supervisors approved a contract of up to $22,500 with GovHR, a public management consulting firm that works with local governments and other public-sector
entities, to conduct the recruitment for a new township manager. The firm previously led township searches for manager and chief of police.
The proposal from GovHR includes six phases over 14 weeks including position assessment; advertising, recruitment and outreach; candidate evaluation and background screening; presentation of recommended candidates; interviews and additional background screening; and appointment of a candidate.
Supervisors thanked Pribulka for his years of service.
“We appreciate you and everything you’ve contributed,” Supervisor Lisa Strickland said. “It’s difficult, but we’re happy for you.”
In his letter of resignation, Pribulka urged the board to “stay the course,” it has set during his tenure.
“It can be too easy to become distracted and disenchanted by the vocal opponents of progress who fear the change needed to maintain a prosperous and thriving community,” he wrote. “I encourage you to be proud of your accomplishments as a Board, just as I am proud of mine as Township Manager. Face the challenges that lie ahead with courage and wisdom; and know that your legacy as elected officials is not a snapshot in time, but a measure of our community’s values that will echo in generations to come.”
