Vote coming to fill council vacancy
They’ve had an empty seat for more than five months now, and one way or another, that will end soon.
Lansdale’s borough council is planning to vote Aug. 19 to fill the council seat left open since February.
“We thought we might get out of this virtual mode by now, but I think we’re somewhat resolved to being here a little longer,” said council President Denton Burnell.
“The reality is, we’ve been putting off naming a replacement for Tom Work for a very long time, and we can’t do that anymore. We really need to make a decision.”
On Feb. 19 Work resigned due to a move out of the borough after six years on council, which started in 2013 and included a reelection to a second four-year term in 2017. In early March, Burnell said applicants to fill the vacancy for residents who live in Ward 2 would be accepted through March 20, but the cancellation of public meetings in person due to COVID-19 and the shift to holding council meetings online has meant no decision yet, and ongoing council and meetings and votes with only eight members instead of the usual nine, and certain committee meetings with only two members intend of the usual three.
“We will take that up at our business meeting in two weeks. I will figure out the particulars, in terms of the structure of how we will do that,” Burnell said.
“I’m not sure yet how we’ll deal with the swearing-in, what the legalities of that are, but we’ll get that figured out between now and two weeks from now.”
Each of the applicants for the vacant seat will be contacted to let them know of the impending decision, Burnell said, and each council member already has letters of interest, resume and contact information to meet with the candidates in person.
“If by any chance you haven’t had the opportunity to talk with any of the candidates, please do that over the next two weeks. I imagine that’s probably not the case, but just in case,” he said.
Lansdale’s borough council next meets online at 7 p.m. Aug. 19; for more information, visit www. Lansdale.org.