On Tuesday, January 2, the Borough of Bath Council held its reorganizational meeting and welcomed Tony Kovalovsky as its newest member. Kovalovsky will serve a four-year term on the council.
Bath Borough Council also welcomed back two returning members. Michele Ehrgott and Carol Bear-Heckman both won reelection in November and will begin new four-year terms on council.
Mayor Fiorella Mirabito was also sworn in for an additional four-year term as the borough’s mayor. She presided over the swearing-in ceremony of Kovalovsky, Ehrgott, and Bear-Heckman. She also swore in Emilio DeNisi, who will serve an additional term as fire chief.
After new and old members of council were sworn in, council officers were elected. Both Councilman Mark Saginario and Councilwoman Ehrgott were unanimously chosen to repeat their roles as council president and council vice president, respectively. Councilman Barry Fenstermaker was unanimously chosen to serve as council president pro tem.
“Hopefully we can have another prosperous two years,” President Saginario said.
Council also motioned to fill several other positions. Brad Flynn was reappointed as borough manager, Blake Marles was reappointed as borough solicitor, Shawn Leidy was reappointed as zoning officer, Allen George was reappointed as board member of the Bath Planning Commission, and Marlene Bender was reappointed as board member of the Zoning Hearing Board.
In addition, Tina Saginario was appointed as tax collector (with President Saginario, her husband, removing himself from the discussion and vote). This is a position the borough must fill. It is the intent for Saginario to appoint Keystone Collection, which will remove tax collection from the borough and make it more secure. Saginario will pay Keystone Collection from her salary.
Other news in Bath:
- Fire Chief DeNisi is asking residents to make sure fire hydrants are cleaned out and not blocked by snow. By law, ensuring that hydrants are not blocked is the resident’s responsibility.
- A team of volunteers has been diligently working on the new borough building in order to ensure it is ready for use this coming year. Mayor Mirabito and council thank all of the volunteers and businesses who have donated work. Jim Hicks, of Hicks Paving, has told council that, if the borough purchases asphalt for the new property, his company will donate work.
- The Governor Wolf Antique Show and the Chestnut Street Antique Show will be held on March 3 through March 4.
“People [are] coming from all over the East Coast,” Councilwoman Bear-Heckman said.
Bear-Heckman also announced that national magazine Country Sampler has published ten pages on the borough’s Daniel Steckel House.
The magazine, Bear-Heckman said, was “enthralled with the beauty of the historic property in town.”
- Mayor Mirabito announced that she would like to close one borough street during the next snowstorm for safer sledding for children and residents. She said the selected street will be announced in the near future and to keep an eye on social media for updates.
