Clarks Summit holds reorganization meeting

CLARKS SUMMIT — During January’s reorganization meeting, Magisterial District Judge Paul Keeler swore in Frank Besten, Steve Guza and Kathleen Simrell as council members.

Council voted to appoint Gerrie Carey as president, Josh Mitchell as vice president, Bob Sheils as president pro temp, and Andrew Krowiak as solicitor.

Council reappointed John Durdan and Mitchell to fill in seats for the Abington Area Joint Recreation Board (AAJRB), Durdan and John Kazista to fill in seats for the planning commission, Bruce Arrowood and Sarah Dougher for zoning hearing board, Besten for Abington Regional Wastewater Authority (ARWA), Mark Taffera and Erin Philbin Torquata for Shade Tree Commission, Artie Frank as Emergency Management Agency (EMA) director, Virginia Kehoe as manager/secretary, Jenn Basalyga as assistant secretary/sewer billing, Sarah Lodwick as treasurer, Basalyga as code enforcement officer, Chris Yarns as police chief, Gary Wilding as sewage enforcement officer, Joe O’Brien as labor solicitor, Michael Cawley as planning commission solicitor, Murphy Dougherty & Company as auditor, and Colwell Naegele as borough engineer.

During the regular council meeting, Council voted to hire part-time police officers Ryan Williams and Michael Fiocca.

In other business, Kehoe expressed gratitude on behalf of Council for the volunteers of the fire department.

“We really need to be grateful for them and supportive of them,” she said. “Make donations.”

Carey added that volunteers receive a tax break.

During the work session, Council explained that the cost of trash pick-up by J.P. Mascaro costs $48 for each quarter (four months), not each month.