Middletown Terminates Township Manager; Former Manager Named Interim

The Middletown Township Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Monday night to fire Township Manager Eden Ratliff.

The high-profile vote ends Ratliff’s time as the manager for one of the state’s largest townships less than a year after he took the role.

In addition, the supervisors moved to appoint former township manager Stephanie Teoli Kuhls as interim manager.

Teoli Kuhls, who served in the position for 13 years, will be returning from a retirement that began last spring to fill the gap in leadership.

Under the terms of Ratliff’s contract, the township will provide him with 60 days’ notice, making his official final day June 13, officials said.

While officials confirmed a contract was in place, they did not comment on the financial impact of the termination.

Ratliff’s ouster follows a week of uncertainty after he was abruptly placed on administrative leave last Tuesday afternoon.

Supervisors Chairperson Bernadette Hannah informed municipal staff of the leave via email at the time.

She declined to provide a reason for the termination during Monday’s vote.

According to two sources with knowledge of township operations, the matter is internal and not related to any criminal investigations or allegations.

The supervisors had unanimous, bipartisan vote to approve Ratliff’s contract in January.

Since taking the $215,000-a-year position last July, Ratliff had focused on budget development, strategic planning, and efforts to increase transparency. He also managed the supervisors’ recent tax increase that is aimed at tackling infrastructure projects and rising costs.

Assistant Township Manager Nick Valla is on parental leave and is not expected to return until the end of the month.

Ratliff, a Chester County native, joined Middletown after serving as deputy city manager in Charlottesville, Virginia. His Pennsylvania management roles included management roles in Kennett Township, Greencastle Borough, and Ford City. He holds two degrees from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is currently a student at Johns Hopkins University.

After his contract approval earlier this year, Ratliff had shared his enthusiasm for continuing in the job.

The supervisors stated they plan to begin the search for a permanent replacement immediately.