Emsworth Council members chose experience over politics in electing a new president last Monday evening.

Although Paul Getz is the only Republican on council, he has considerably more experience in borough affairs than any of his colleagues, which include three brand new council members sworn in that night along with incumbent Alex Nalevanko.

Taking the oath of office along with Nalevanko were Kevin Yurkovich, Tom Maletick and Brian Fashian.

The Avonworth School Board held its annual reorganization meeting on Dec. 5. At that meeting, the five recently elected school board members - David Oberdick, Robert Wible, Jeff Carraway, Peter McKay, and Brenda Barlek, were sworn in.

In addition, the board voted to return David Oberdick to his former position as president. Brenda Barlek, the president during 2011, resumed her prior position of vice president.

A unanimous vote by Emsworth Council Wednesday evening put an end to a firestorm -- literally, in some residents’ opinions -- that erupted one week before when the Avonworth Community Park executive board approved a lease that would allow drilling beneath park property for natural gas, part of the lucrative Marcellus Shale reservoir.

The Kilbuck Township Planning Commission's first order of business Tuesday evening was to elect officers for the coming year.

Jack Ferguson was named chairman, with Paul Miller elected vice chair and Keith Cameron as secretary.

A familiar face will be missing from Avonworth Middle school this fall. Eighth grade science teacher Kelly Compeau has resigned to accept a position with the teachers' union.

Compeau, who has taught at the school for 10 years, represented the Avonworth collective bargaining unit and also was the Environmental Club sponsor and head coach for the middle school boys' soccer team.

The school board voted unanimously at its work session on Monday to accept Compeau's resignation effective Aug. 6. Board members Brenda Barlek, Peter McKay and Jeff Schmid were absent.

By LESA GRESH

Bob Schulz will act as the interim athletic director for Avonworth.

Schulz was appointed to the position at the April 13 school board meeting. He will be paid $4,000 per month.

A former athletic director for the district, Schulz currently coaches the girls’ basketball team.

Less than a year after taking over the position, Avonworth athletic director Chet Fuhrman has resigned.

The Avonworth School Board voted unanimously at its April 5 work session to accept Fuhrman’s resignation. The vote came after a one-hour executive session held during the meeting.

Board member Peter McKay was absent.

Three new members were sworn in to seats on Avalon Council last Monday evening, including one who was just recently named the winner of a council seat by what was probably the lowest number of votes ever.

While Jonathan Bernstein and Thomas Lloyd Jr. were on the November ballot along with incumbents Ed Repp and Ralph Cortese, David Dixon was declared the winner of a council seat for which there were no candidates on the ballot. Dixon received four write-in votes, which was enough to beat out incumbent Albert Wurst, who received only three.

Incumbent Kilbuck Township supervisor John Fader was elected chairman of the board of supervisors during the Jan. 4 reorganization meeting.

His election came after new supervisor Tom Tomaro, pictured above at left with Fader, took the oath of office.

The board remains short one member due to the midterm resignation of Sue Merckner last month. A special meeting to fill the vacancy will be held Jan. 12 at 7 p.m.

Photo by Connie Rankin for The Citizen

In the black

Avalon Borough will end the fiscal year in the black, according to council finance committee chairman Tom Michalow.

Michalow said that the borough will have between $38,000 and $58,000 left over at the end of 2009, thanks in part to a $35,000 street repair loan payment budgeted for this year which did not have to be made.

Contract extended A contract for garbage pick-up in Emsworth was extended for another year during the borough council’s regular meeting on Wednesday.

The current contract with Waste Management was due to expire at the end of the year, but it has been extended until Dec. 31, 2010. It will cost $189.48 per household unit, which is an increase of $8.16, according to council member Amy Adams. The increased cost will be paid by property owners.