State College Borough Council will be looking to replace a member this summer.
Richard Biever, who began his first term as a council member in January, is stepping down as he and his wife, Heidi, prepare to move out of state.
Biever told StateCollege.com in an email he plans to stay on council through the June 13 meeting.
He said he has accepted at professorship at Wichita State University and Heidi Biever will be a teaching artist for the regional theater Music Theatre Wichita.
The Bievers co-own FUSE Productions and Singing Onstage Studios and Richard Biever is currently an assistant teaching professor in Penn State’s School of Theatre.
He has lived in the borough for more than 20 years and his wife was born and raised in State College.
“Of course [the decision to move] was very difficult,” Biever told StateCollege.com in an email. “We’ve had such tremendous support for both Singing Onstage and FUSE Productions. We have many friends and colleagues here. But this opportunity for both of us gives us the chance to expand what we do and it very exciting.”
Singing Onstage will continue to operate with more details to be announced at a later date. Biever said he hopes FUSE also will continue.
According to the borough’s home rule charter, borough council will have 45 days from the date of vacancy to appoint a replacement member. Because Biever’s resignation will occur less than 18 months from the start of his term, the position will then be on the ballot in 2023 for election to serve the remainder of the term through the end of 2025.
Douglas Shontz, assistant to the borough manager, said council will provide an update on the process for appointing a replacement at an upcoming meeting.
Biever was elected in November after running on a progressive slate of candidates with Gopal Balachandran and Divine Lipscomb.
“I just wanted to say I’ve appreciated the opportunity, short though it may be, to work with my colleagues on borough council, with the staff and with the borough manager,” Biever said at the start of Friday afternoon’s council work session. “It’s been an amazing, eye-opening and wonderful experience. I just appreciate the support that has been given to myself and my family and for the voters who had the trust in me to put me on council.”
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.
