College Township manager wins state leadership award

STATE COLLEGE — Adam Brumbaugh, manager of College Township in Centre County, received the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors’ 33rd Annual President’s Leadership Award recently during the association’s Excellence Awards ceremony.

The event, which recognizes the significant achievements of townships and township officials across the state, was held as part of PSATS’ 2022 Annual Educational Conference and Exhibit Show in Hershey.

Each year, the association presents the Leadership Award, established in 1990, to a township supervisor and an administrator, such as a secretary or manager, whose outstanding projects or programs have benefited their communities.

Brumbaugh, who has worked for the township for nearly a quarter of a century, joins an elite group of local government officials who have received the award, one of the highest honors that PSATS bestows. An international city/county management association credentialed manager, he has more than 35 years of experience working in communities in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

“As the leader of a highly professional staff, Adam has fostered loyalty through development of a true team culture that is rooted in empathy for his people and a commitment to their respective personal and professional growth. Life as a public servant is often fraught with challenges, but the College Township team fully understands that Adam is there to support them during difficult situations and will be the first to celebrate their respective successes,” College Township Council Chair D. Richard Francke said in his letter recommending Brumbaugh for the award.

“Adam’s decades-long dedication to his township has brought tremendous improvements to his community, such as making the Village of Lemont more accessible. His willingness to listen to and work with multiple stakeholders in his township demonstrates the highest level of leadership,” PSATS President Marvin Meteer said.

During his current tenure, Brumbaugh has:

* Spearheaded the creation of the College Township Water Authority, overseeing all aspects of development, including all policies, procedures, staffing, authority board development, concerned citizen education and compliance matters;

* Helped to create the Pike Street Traffic Calming and Accessibility Project for the Village of Lemont, creating an ADA-accessible sidewalk and curb ramps, street crossings, a speed bump and parallel parking spaces to address the lack of safe pedestrian access;

* Contributed to the College Township Fire Station in 2010 by championing an updated strategy for the program’s service delivery model; and

* Coordinated with the Centre Region Council of Governments, State College Borough Water Authority, University Area Joint Authority and Centre Region Parks and Recreation Authority to develop multi-municipal initiatives.

“On a regional level, Adam is universally respected by his peers and is frequently sought out as a mentor for new municipal managers and other emerging leaders. Seeking consensus on regional issues in a community as diverse as State College requires finely tuned active listening skills and an ability to synthesize often sweeping and complex matters into more readily achievable incremental steps, both areas in which Adam excels,” Francke said.

In addition to his work for College Township, Brumbaugh is active in the PSATS Townships 5,000 – 10,000 Population Standing Committee, PA Municipalities Health Insurance Cooperative, Centre County Housing and Land Trust, Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County, Centre County Economic Development Partnership, and the Centre Region Council of Governments Climate Action and Adaptation Technical Advisory Committee.