Meet the Somerset Borough Council Members and Staff

Meet the Somerset Borough Council Members and Staff

front row, from left: Borough Manager Benedict G. Vinzani Jr., Council Member Scott Walker, Council Member Judy Pyle, Council President Ruby W. Miller, Assistant to the Borough Manager Michele Enos

back row: Sergeant-at-Arms Police Chief Randy Cox, Council Member Wanda Miller, Council Vice President Fredric A. Rosemeyer, Council Member Paul E. Urbain, Mayor William A. Meyer, Director of Finance Brett Peters, Public Works Director George Svirsko. Absent from the photo: Council Member Frank Koval

Citizens elect a seven member council

Citizens elect a seven member council which is the legislative and policy making body. The term of office is four years. Approximately half of council is elected every two years. Every second year, the council picks one of its member as president, who chairs the meetings. A mayor is elected. Under the Pennsylvania Borough Code, he is the administer of the Police Department.

Public Comment Policy

The Pennsylvania Sunshine Act (65 Pa. C.S. 701, et seq.) provides that the Board or Council of a political subdivision shall provide a reasonable opportunity at each advertised regular meeting and advertised special meeting for residents of the political subdivision or for taxpayers of the political subdivision or to comment on matters of concern, official action or deliberation which are or may be before the Board or Council prior to taking official action. (710.1).

To assure compliance with the Act, to inform members of the public who may wish to make comment, and to provide for predictable and orderly implementation of the public comment period, Somerset Borough Council has adopted this Public Comment Policy. READ MORE >

 

BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETINGS

Meeting date:    Fourth Monday of each month
Meeting time:    7:00 p.m.
Location:           Somerset Borough Municipal Building
                            347 W. Union Street Somerset, PA 15501

Note: If a holiday is observed on the fourth Monday, the meeting will be moved to Tuesday at the same time and place.

*Council has traditionally rescheduled its November and December meetings based on the timing for budget adoption and the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. The rescheduling will be done closer to these dates.

2012 COUNCIL MEETING DATES
7:00 pm Municipal Building
January 23rd July 23rd
February 27th August 27th
March 26th September 24th
April 23rd October 22nd
May 29th (Tuesday, Memorial Day Holiday) November 19th *
June 25th December 24th *

 

 

 

BOROUGH OF SOMERSET
BOARDS & COMMISSIONS

MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY
(5-YEAR TERMS)

  • Joe Egly 1/01/13
  • Ralph Friedhofer 1/01/12
  • William H. Kuhlman 1/01/14
  • Clyde Mostoller 1/01/15
  • Hank Parke 1/01/11

CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION (6-YEAR TERMS)

  • Samuel B. Sayler 1/01/14
  • Stuart Kreinbrook 1/01/16
  • William M. Simmons 1/01/12

PLANNING COMMISSION
(4-YEAR TERMS)

  • James G. Knepper, Jr. 1/01/13
  • Gisela S. McLaughlin 1/01/13
  • William Lehman 1/01/14
  • Vacant Position 1/01/11
  • George Shafer 1/01/11
  • Sean Isgan 1/01/12
  • George Schenck, Jr. 1/01/12

ZONING HEARING BOARD
(3-YEAR TERMS)

  • Robert Anderson, Jr. 1/01/13
  • Brian Maust 1/01/13
  • Art DiLoretto 1/01/11
  • Martin Kammerer 1/01/11
  • Steven Miller 1/01/12

UCC CODE APPEALS BOARD (3-YEAR TERMS)

  • Greg Osikowicz 1/01/12
  • Vacant Position 1/01/13
  • Art DiLoretto 1/01/11

VACANCY BOARD
(1-YEAR TERM)

  • Delmas Hutzel 1/01/11

BOROUGH OF SOMERSET BOARDS & COMMISSIONS

Over the years, the Somerset Borough Council has created various Boards, Commissions, and Agencies to provide for wide participation of its citizens in local government.  Each has a special area of responsibility as provided for in State Law and Local Ordinance.

Somerset Borough Planning Commission

Reviews design of new subdivisions, proposed changes in zoning and recommends adoption of codes related to building.  Meets as necessary, generally 6 times per year.  (4-year term)

Zoning Hearing Board

Conducts Public Hearings on appeals from a decision of the Zoning Officer.  It may grant a variance when strict compliance would produce unwarranted hardship and it will not be a substantial detriment to adjacent properties.  Meets as necessary, generally 2-3 times per year.  (3-year term)

Somerset Borough Municipal Authority

Finances major community improvements including water, sewerage, parking lots, municipal building, and maintenance garage.  Meets the third Monday of each month.  (5-year term)

Civil Service Commission

Limited, under State Law, to police-related activities.  When vacancies occur in the Police Department, the Commission conducts tests and makes recommendations to Borough Council.  It also hears appeals from police officers.  They meet as necessary, generally one time every two years.  (6-year term)

Vacancy Board

If the Council refuse, fail or neglect or be unable, for any reason whatsoever, to fill any vacancy in elective office within 30 days after the vacancy happens, the vacancy shall be filled by the Vacancy Board.  Such board shall consist of the Borough Council exclusive of the mayor, and one registered elector of the Borough who shall be appointed by the Borough Council at the Council’s first meeting each calendar year and shall act as chairman of the Vacancy Board.  (1-year term – must be registered elector of the Borough)

Mary S. Biesecker Library Board

The Library Board of Directors was created for the purpose of directing the operation of the Mary S. Biesecker Public Library.  (3-year term)

Uniform Construction Code – Appeals Board

The Board of Appeals shall hear and rule on appeals, requests for variances and requests for extensions of time.  The appeal must be based on a claim that the true intent of the act or Uniform Construction Code has been incorrectly interpreted, or the Uniform Construction Code do not fully apply or an equivalent form of construction is to be used.  (3-year term)

 

Updated 08-03-10