Council Sworn In for 2021, Hughes Elected President as Reorganization Meeting Honors Departing Councilor

The Borough Council held its annual reorganization meeting by teleconference, swearing in returning Councilors David Lefkovits and Deborah Mans along with new Councilor Erik DeLine. The Council elected Peter Hughes as Council President for 2021 and Mayor Patrick reappointed the 2020 committee structure, naming standing committee chairs for Finance and Administration (Hughes), Public Safety (Lisovicz), Community Affairs and Public Relations (Mans), Public Works (Lefkovits), Parks and Recreation (Law), and Planning and Development (Morrow). The Mayor also announced Erik DeLine's promotion to Deputy Administrator after joining the Borough in 2019 as Director of Planning and Development.

Mayor Patrick read a lengthy proclamation honoring outgoing Councilor Daniel Murphy, who served seven years on the Council after his 2013 appointment, chaired the Planning and Development, Parks and Recreation, and Public Works committees, and helped raise over a million dollars for local causes through the Ashenfelter 8K and Fitzgerald's Lager Run. Each councilor, along with the Chief of Police, Borough Attorney, and Borough Administrator, offered tributes to Murphy before he thanked the Council for the opportunity to serve.

The Council reappointed the law firm Meyner & Landis as Municipal Attorney and Mark A. Clemente as Municipal Judge for a three-year term, confirmed dozens of volunteer appointments to boards including the Board of Adjustment, Planning Board, Board of Health, Library Board of Trustees, Historic Preservation Commission, and Shade Tree Commission, and set the 2021 meeting calendar and holiday schedule. Mayor Patrick closed with a year-end report thanking residents for their conduct through the COVID-19 pandemic, citing the community's response to the death of Officer Roberts and continued mask-wearing and social distancing, and urged residents to get vaccinated when eligible. All resolutions passed by unanimous roll call vote.