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Rick Arnold replaces Miller Stella on Rice Twp. Board of Supervisors

ASHLEY &#8212; Residents crammed into the Ashley Fireman&#8217;s Memorial Park building to see the borough council vote John Gibbons as its new president, replacing Donald Sipple. A tie, broken by Mayor David Evans, retained Frank Sorokach as the council&#8217;s vice chair.Both positions came with a bit of discord.A 3-1 with one abstention vote occurred on the motion, with Joseph McGlynn Jr. and Sipple voting in favor of retaining Sipple as chair. Sorokach and Donna Schappert motioned for Gibbons as chair and it passed on a 3-1 vote with one abstention.In the vice chair position, the mayor was brought in by Solicitor William Vinsko to break the tie.Along with becoming chair, Gibbons was authorized to sign checks on behalf of the borough. Borough Manager Greg Gulick and Sorokach are also allowed to sign checks.Shortly before voting, District Judge Joseph Halesey swore in newly elected members Schappert and Gibbons as well as returning council member Sipple.The council approved Ronald Wickizer to fill the unexpired term of Frank Drazba on the Zoning Hearing Board, a term that expires Dec. 31, 2017.The council also voted to reopen the 2016 borough budget. The budget had been a point of contention in end-of-the-year meetings in 2015, finally passing as <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/497957/ashley-borough-council-passes-a-balanced-budget" target="_blank">balanced</a>. Schappert motioned, with Sorokach seconding the motion, to reopen the budget. McGlynn voted no on the grounds of &#8220;the budget is already balanced.&#8221; Sipple also voted no. The Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs states municipalities have until Feb. 15 to pass reopened budget.In other business, the council:&#8226; Approved the 2016 meeting schedule.&#8226; Adopted contract requirements as required by the Pennsylvania Act 44 of 2009 on pensions for conflicts of interest in borough workers.&#8226; Approved the fire department to hold a controlled burn on the brush pile of Breaker Memorial Park.&#8226; Authorized the paying December 2015 bills in the amount of $17,409 and the paying of December 2015 payroll in the amount of $29,711.75.&#8226; Approved establishing an ethics committee, but refrained from appointing individuals to the committee.&#8226; Tabled the 2016 tax rate &#8212; 4.85 mils (a mils is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of value) &#8212; until the 2016 budget is reviewed.The next council meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12 at the borough building.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Melanie Mizenkommizenko@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta>The next council meeting will be held 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12 at the borough building.</factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko</shirttailMeta></div>

John Gibbons elected president of Ashley Borough Council