Jeff Box was recently sworn in for a third term as Kingston Township supervisor, but the appointment was a bit unexpected.

Box didn’t run for re-election in 2011 - not even in the primary.

But he won the seat left vacant by former supervisor John Solinsky after residents wrote his name on the ballot more than anyone else’s moniker, and the rest is history.

“I’m flattered,” Box said of winning the write-in vote.

Solinsky dropped out of the race in August, which left one seat vacant on the board. Supervisor James Reino Jr. won another term, and newcomer Gary Mathers was elected for a four-year term on the board in the November general election.

Box, 51, wanted to step down from his position due to “work reasons,” but Kingston Township residents had other plans for the longtime public servant.

“When I got the call from the election bureau that I received the most write-in votes, I just couldn’t walk away,” he said about his decision to stay in the position. “I’m glad folks in Kingston Township still have confidence in me.”

Box’s third term comes after a long history in Kingston Township governmental affairs.

He started his foray in municipal government in the early 1980s as a student intern in the Kingston Township office.

“I developed a fondness for municipal management,” said Box. “Good management is an absolute necessity.”

After he graduated from Wilkes College in 1985 with a degree in business administration and political science, it wasn’t long before he found himself back in the Kingston Township municipal office.

He became involved with the township planning commission when he moved to Shavertown with his wife, Maire, in the late 1980s. Then Box nabbed a job as the township manager in September 1988, which he held for 13 years.

“It was like a dream come true,” he said.

During those years, he saw the township grow and municipal government change, but he still feels citizens receive the most for their money on the local level.

“One of the things I’ve always admired about Kingston Township is its tradition for solid public service,” said Box. “Citizens truly receive $1 of service for every $1 in taxes, and I’m pleased to have been a part of continuing that tradition.”

Box resigned from his position as manager in 2001, and afterwards, the township board of supervisors went in disarray.

Within just a few weeks, one supervisor resigned and two passed away, leaving two members left on the five-member board.

In appointing replacements, residents suggested the pair violated the Sunshine Act, and questions arose about the board’s spending habits once the new board was in place.

Box kept a close eye on what was happening, and in 2003 he decided to run for office with three other locals.

“I never intended to run, but I thought somebody had to do something,” said Box.

It was his first real experience in local politics, but Box campaigned based on instinct.

“It’s true that honesty is the best policy,” he said. “We went door-to-door telling everyone what was going on, and many already knew.”

Box won the election, along with two of the three men on his ticket. He said the most important goal in 2004 was balancing the budget.

“We very quickly tried to preserve austerity in the township,” said Box. “We sold excess equipment, implemented an overtime freeze, worked with our earned income tax collector to make sure everyone was paying - we looked at everything.”

Though it took a few years for the budget to get back on track, Box said it was worth the extra work. He said ensuring the citizens of Kingston Township receive all the benefits of local government is an important part of being a public servant.

“I’m about public service, not politics,” said Box.

Box ran for re-election in 2007 and won again, this time working with current chairman Reino and former supervisor Solinsky. Supervisors Frank Natitus and Shirley Moyer, a supervisor for eight years in the 1990s, ran and won in 2009.