With a pending vacancy on borough council, State College is now accepting applications for consideration to fill the position on an interim basis.
Eligible residents can submit a letter of interest and supporting documentation through May 12 at www.statecollegepa.us/vacancy. Members of the public can also submit questions for applicants through the same date.
Councilman Richard Biever announced in March that he plans to step down from council because his family is moving out of state this summer. Council formally accepted his resignation on Monday night and his final day in office will be June 13.
To be eligible for consideration, an applicant must be a qualified and registered voter of the Borough of State College.
Biever was elected in November and because his resignation will occur less than 18 months from the start of his term, the person appointed to the vacancy will fill the position until Dec. 31, 2023, per the borough’s home rule charter. The seat will be on the ballot in the November 2023 election and the winner will serve the balance of the term from Jan. 1, 2024 through Dec. 31, 2025.
At its May 16 meeting, council could begin discussion about those who submitted letters of interest, finalize questions for candidates to address and finalize the schedule for presentations.
Public candidate presentations will take place, as needed, May 31, June 1 and June 2.
Council is expected to discuss the appointment at its June 6 meeting and vote to fill the vacancy on June 13.
A replacement must be appointed by June 16 — 45 days from the date of resignation. If no appointment is made in that time frame, it can become the decision of the Centre County Court of Common Pleas based on a petition by council or five residents of the borough.
The last time borough council had a vacancy came when Dan Murphy resigned in August 2020. Katherine Yeaple was appointed in September 2020 to serve out the remainder of the term.
