May 4, 2026
— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
Bethlehem Township has chosen Edward Hozza as its new manager.
Hozza replaces Doug Bruce, who said in December that he would retire this month.
The new manager is a former director of administration for Lehigh County and he was mayor of Whitehall Township for 10 years, according to his LinkedIn page. He is a graduate of DeSales University.
The township Board of Commissioners voted tonight (Monday) on the appointment.
“The Township Manager is the Chief Administrative Officer of the Township, responsible for the supervision of all activities and all Township Departments. The Township Manager is also responsible for the preparation and administration of the Township’s annual budget,” according to the township website.
Hozza will start May 18. Police Chief Gregory Gottschall will serve as interim manager until Hozza starts.
The new manager will oversee the 14.7-square-mile township, which has seen lots of commercial and residential development, with more to come. Some of that will be redevelopment, converting buildings to new uses or knocking them down and building again.
One-tenth of a square mile of the township is underwater and thus not likely to be developed, although developers have become creative. The old quarry and dump on the border of the township and the Borough of Freemansburg is being developed into an 866,000-square-foot warehouse.
Bethlehem Township has a population of about 26,000.
Lehigh Valley News Briefs 