Oct 12, 2024 By Paul Paterra 2 min read

Donora will ask the court to fill a vacant seat on borough council after council failed to approve the only applicant at its meeting Thursday.

Council voted not to appoint the sole applicant, former councilman Gilbert Szakal, to the vacancy created by the resignation of Tom Thompson.

The motion to approve Szakal was denied in a 4-2 vote. Voting yes were council members Fred Berestecky and Mike McDowell. Negative votes were cast by council President Cindy Brice, as well as Jim Brice, DeAnne Pavelko and Casey Perotta.

Szakal previously spent six years on council. He was elected in 2016, but failed to win reelection in 2020. In 2022, he was appointed to fill the vacancy created when Edward Sonny Lawson resigned. Szakal unsuccessfully ran again in 2023.

“He ran for council twice and lost, so obviously the voters in Donora don’t want him on council,” Cindy Brice said Friday, adding that she didn’t think Szakal had the right temperament for the job.

According to state regulations, council has 30 days to fill a vacancy caused by resignation or the matter goes before a judge.

With that in mind, council voted to direct solicitor Steve Toprani to petition the Washington County Court of Common Pleas to fill the vacancy.

“The judge will receive letters of intent and will interview the people and will make a decision,” Brice said. “Since next year is an election year, it may just be left vacant. That’s up to the judge’s discretion.”

In a related move, the six council members in attendance Thursday approved Perotta as vice president.