Four State College residents will be under consideration to fill a pending vacancy on Borough Council.
John Hayes, Nathan Romig, Tony Sapia and Tyler Thompson each submitted letters of interest for the interim council position by the May 3 deadline and met the sole qualification of being a registered voter of the borough.
They are looking to serve the remainder of council member Divine Lipscomb’s elected term. Lipscomb, who was elected in 2021, informed borough administration and the other members of council at the end of March that he would be stepping down effective May 12 because he is moving out of town.
The remaining six council members are charged with appointing an interim member to serve out the term ending Dec. 31, 2025. If council does not appoint a new member by May 30, 45 days after it formally accepted his resignation, the decision can be made by the Centre County Court of Common Pleas based on a petition by council or five residents of the borough.
Each of the applicants will make a presentation during council’s work session at 7 p.m. Monday. Candidates can choose to address some of the questions submitted by residents and council members, which are listed here.
Council then may make an appointment during its May 20 meeting. Using a process similar to those used in filling previous vacancies in recent years, council members will be selected in random order to make a nomination. The first candidate to receive a majority of votes will win the appointment and no further nominations will be made.
Here’s a brief look at each of the applicants, based on information provided in their letters of interest and other publicly available information.
• John Hayes is a professor of food science at Penn State and serves on the State College Transportation Commission. He has held leadership roles in multiple professional organizations and is also the founder and president of a nonprofit organization related to his professional work, according to his letter.
One of his primary motivations for seeking a seat on council, he wrote, is his interest in urban planning and the ongoing rewrite of the borough’s decades old zoning code.
“As our community continues to evolve, it is crucial that we view development with a holistic and forward-thinking approach that meets the needs of both long-term residents and transient students who come to Happy Valley during a formative period of their lives, I am passionate about ensuring that we grow in ways that are sustainable and equitable, while meeting the needs of all residents.”
• Nathan Romig is a general contractor, housing manager and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, according to his resume. He is also president of the Alternative Housing Coalition, president of the State College Lions Foundation and chair of the Libertarian Party of Centre County.
“As a resident of State College, an involved community member and as someone with a massive base of expertise dealing with the affordable housing crisis, I will be the perfect addition to the current council team,” he wrote. “I will also bring a new diversity to the perspectives that currently exist on council and will serve to broaden the ideas of the team in new ways that will help bring a more inclusive representation to the people of State College.”
• Tony Sapia is a State College businessman and member of the borough’s Planning Commission. He has owned and operated several food and beverage related business, including currently Gemelli Bakery. He ran for Borough Council in 2023 as a Democrat.
“Borough government and our community face the challenge of balancing quality services balanced with fiscal responsibility. Now is the time to plan for the next generation of State College,” he wrote. “I am fortunate to have grown up in State College, and raised my own family here in the Borough. I am a small business owner, commercial property owner of retail and student housing and a supporter of numerous community events over the years. I have the desire to contribute and serve. It is our shared willingness to listen, learn and work with others that we will continue to improve State College.”
• Tyler Thompson is the owner of Tyler Daniel Design, a small business branding and marketing firm, and a U.S. Air Force veteran.
His work supporting many small businesses over the past few years has given him “a deep understanding of the issues facing our local economy and the importance of a thriving business community for the overall well-being of our borough,” he wrote
“My primary goal as a council member would be to advocate for policies that help support and grow small business,” Thompson wrote. “I intended to ensure this by establishing an open channel of communication between our residents and the council, specifically to address topical questions in a timely manner. I am deeply committed to listening to the concerns of all community members and working collaboratively to find solutions that benefit everyone.”
