Hearing set for Jefferson council
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WAYNESBURG – Greene County Judge Farley Toothman will be holding court in Jefferson, at least for one day later this month for a hearing on Jefferson Borough’s petition to reduce the number of members on council from five to three.
Toothman issued an order Wednesday stating the hearing, scheduled for Dec. 31, will begin a 9 a.m. in Courtroom No. 2 at the courthouse and immediately recess to reconvene at 9:30 a.m. in the American Legion Post in Jefferson.
He made the order on his own accord, without petition from any interested party, he said, “in recognition of the importance of the matter to be heard, and as a convenience to the petitioners, and current members of Jefferson Borough Council, the mayor, registered electors and other residents of Jefferson Borough who may wish to be heard.”
The borough filed a petition last month seeking to reduce the number of council members.
Council made the decision because of a lack of interest in serving on council, council President Theresa Knight said then.
Three seats on council were on the ballot in the Nov. 5 election, two for a four-year term; and one for a two-year term. Only one candidate’s name appeared on the ballot and that was incumbent Lance Sahady, who was seeking re-election to a four-year term.
Two other residents, however, each received write-in votes. It takes only one vote to get elected in a general election.
Charlie Barno received two write-in votes for the four-year term and Steve Dulik received one write-in vote for the two-year term.
Dulik was sent a letter by the elections office asking if he wished to accept the position and he responded that he will accept it, said Tina Kiger, director of the county elections office.
No letter was sent to Barno because there are two Charles Barnos registered in the borough, Kiger said. If either wanted the post he would have had to contact the elections office, but because of the difficulty in determining which Barno received the votes, the matter would probably have to be decided by the court, she said.
Council also had cited the difficulty in filing vacant council seats in 2005 when the court granted its motion to reduce the number of council members from seven to five.
The current members of council are Knight, Sandra Dulik, Marvin Knight, Darlene Shipley and Sahady. Marvin Knight and Shipley did not seek re-election.