Several councils held 2012 reorganizational meetings Tuesday.
Commissioners
Schuylkill County's new board of commissioners gathered for the first time Tuesday to reorganize.
Returning to the board for his fourth consecutive term, Commissioner Frank J. Staudenmeier was joined by newly elected commissioners Democrat Gary J. Hess and Republican George F. Halcovage Jr. to pass the 2012 meeting schedule, adopt the rules of order and conduct other business.
Staudenmeier was unanimously voted as chairman of the board, a position left vacant after Mantura M. Gallagher's retirement as commissioner.
Meetings to reorganize the salary and prison boards followed the commissioners meeting. Halcovage was appointed as salary board secretary and Schuylkill County President Judge William E. Baldwin was unanimously voted to remain as prison board chairman.
Presented for work session approval were the termination of Register of Wills solicitor Dave Rattigan, Schuylkill Haven, Prothonotary solicitor Jeffrey Markosky, Ringtown, and First Deputy Controller Lisa Reber, Orwigsburg. Also presented for approval were the appointments of Hank Clarke, Orwigsburg, as register of wills solicitor, Gretchen Sterns, Orwigsburg, as protonotary solicitor, Ronald Zimmerman, Pottsville, as first deputy controller and Dr. Joseph Weber, Ashland, as chief deputy coroner, following the transfer of current Chief Deputy Coroner James Nettles, Pottsville, to deputy coroner investigator.
The commissioners' work session will be at 10 a.m. today in the Hofmann Room at the county courthouse.
Girardville
Girardville Borough Council held a morning meeting to reorganize for the new year, followed by its regular monthly meeting.
Mayor Edward Burns administered the oath of office to three council members: Charles Marquardt, who won re-election in November, and new members Helenanne Brennan and Joseph Catizone. Burns took over as temporary chairman and asked for nominations for council president. Marquardt was the only nomination to retain his position, and then asked for nominations for vice president, with Joseph Chiaretti elected with no other nominations.
Borough council made the following appointments:
- Secretary/Treasurer: Mary Ambrose.
- Solicitor: Christopher Riedlinger.
- Vacancy board chairman: Vytus Karavage.
- Bank depository: National Penn Bank.
- North Schuylkill Landfill Association delegate: Joseph Quinn, primary; Chiaretti, alternate.
- Code enforcement officer; Jeffrey Wilson.
- Permit officer: Theresa Niedzwiecki
- Consulting engineer: Entech Engineering.
- Sewer enforcement officer: Larson Design Group.
- North Schuylkill Council of Governments delegate: Brennan, primary; Chiaretti, alternate.
- Borough fire chief: Frank Zangari.
- Environmental Certifying Officer: Charles Marquardt.
- Permit enforcement firm: Building Inspection Underwriters.
- Schuylkill Tax Collection Committee representative: Chiaretti.
During the regular meeting, the council gave permission for the borough financial records of 2011 to be audited.
Borough council made the following appointments to the Girardville Area Municipal Authority board: George Misunas, who represents Butler Township and Annetta Whitecavage. It also accepted the resignation of Councilwoman Brennan from the GAMA board, who resigned due to her being elected to council. Any Girardville resident interested in filling the vacancy, which expires in 2014, should contact borough hall to submit their name.
In other council news, a tax anticipation note of $40,000 was approved, which is used for operational expense at the beginning of the year until tax revenues are received this year.
Marquardt announced council meetings will be held on the second Thursday of the month as in the past, but meetings will start at 7:30 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. Workshops will be held at 7 p.m. the Tuesday prior to the monthly meetings. The next council meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9.
Pottsville
Pottsville City Council decided to keep its department chairs and financial institutions in place for 2012.
In an unanimous vote Tuesday morning at its reorganization meeting at council chambers, the council named the following council members as directors of the following city departments: Mayor John D.W. Reiley, public affairs; Councilman Michael P. Halcovage, accounts and finance; Councilman Mark Atkinson, public safety; Councilman James Muldowney, streets and public improvements; and Councilwoman Lori A. Spotts, parks and public property.
The ouncil also approved a resolution designating the following banks as the depositories for the following city funds:
- Union Bank and Trust Co.: general fund, payroll account, city earned income tax, municipal and emergency services account, state liquid fuels tax fund; solid waste account; intermodal fund; intermodal project line of credit; and Pottsville police drug unit fund.
- M&T Bank: sinking fund for tax anticipation note; private donation account.
- Sovereign Bank: community development funds; municipal money management fund.
- Wells Fargo Bank: custodial funds for police and non-uniform pension funds.
Schuylkill Haven
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN- The recently elected Schuylkill Haven Borough Council members took their seats on council along with two appointed members Tuesday night.
At the reorganization meeting, Roger Spotts and Ruth Tucci were sworn in by Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier, Orwigsburg. They will both serve a four-year term.
During the regular council meeting, to replace the two open seats on the council that now-mayor Mike Devlin and former council member Carl Berger no longer hold, council members chose David Gerber and Tom Gordon, who were also sworn in by Ferrier. Borough secretary Kathy Killian read the official letters of resignation from Devlin and Berger.
Gerber was a former council member and Tom Gordon ran for election but recently. Both will serve two-year terms. Their names were among several mentioned for the positions.
The council selected Marlin Berger Jr. as president and Roger Spotts as vice president at the reorganization meeting. Appointments were made for various positions and all borough taxes were re-enacted. Kathy Killian was reappointed as borough secretary; Gloria Ebling as treasurer; Scott Graver as borough administrator; Michael Paulin as borough zoning and codes officer; Mark Semanchik as solicitor; Entech Engineering was reappointed as the borough's water engineer; Utility Engineers as the electric engineer and Keystone Nazareth Bank and Trust as the depository.
In other news, Devlin announced the Mayor's Advisory Committee meeting for 7 p.m. March 19 and the Beautification Awards, Glow Awards, the skate party at Stoyer's Dam and Senior Citizens Day will continue.
Saint Clair
During the reorganization of the Saint Clair borough council, Magisterial District Judge David A. Platchko, Port Carbon, swore in four members to the council.
John Houseknecht was a newly elected council member, replacing Linda Jaskierski, and the re-elected members of council were Valerie Davis, John Burke and William Dempsey.
James Larish was appointed as the council president and Michael Petrozino as the vice president.
The following were also reappointed: Carol Sutzko as treasurer, Roland Price Jr. as secretary, attorney Edward Brennan Esq. as solicitor, the firm of Alfred Benesch & Co., Pottsville, as the borough's engineering firm, and Susquehanna Bank as the borough's depository for funds.