Petersburg Borough relies heavily on volunteers to help make decisions about the direction the community should go.
There are 19 volunteer positions to fill in the October 4 election. They include seats on everything from the school board to the Harbor Board.
Vice Mayor, Cindi Lagoudakis, read from the list of positions during the last borough assembly meeting.
“For mayor, one seat; for assembly, two seats; for school board, two seats; for hospital board, four seats; for planning commission, three seats; for harbor board, two seats; for library board, two seats; and for public safety board, three seats,” Lagoudakis read.
But here’s the deal. Of those 19 positions, only five people have filed to run for them. As of Thursday, only five had filled out candidacy forms with the clerk’s office.
Those five candidates are as follows:
Mark Jensen for Mayor
Jeigh Stanton-Gregor for Assembly
Sandra L. Stevens for School Board
Otis Marsh for Planning & Zoning Commission
Barb Fish for Library Board
There is one position pending. Kurt Wohlhueter has declared that he is running for re-election for Assembly and is in the process of gathering the required 20 signatures.
Otis Marsh is running for Planning and Zoning Commission even though he’s already on it. He has not filled out the length of term he is running for because he wants to make sure all three seats get filled. There are two – 3 year terms and one – 1 year term up for grabs. Marsh plans to fill in the term he is running for on the last day to file.
At the last borough meeting, Lagoudakis said that the borough might want to reconsider the number of elected seats.
“We’ve had conversations before too about the number of elected seats we have on boards and commissions and this may be the time to revisit some of those,” Lagoudakis said. “But I still encourage people to participate whether they’re elected or just a volunteer position.”
People can register to vote in the municipal election until September 4. You can register at the borough clerk’s office or on the State’s election website. You can pick up registration packets at the front desk of the borough municipal offices. The offices are located upstairs at the Hallingstad-Peratrovich building while the downtown municipal building is renovated.
Here’s borough clerk, Debra Thompson, and assemblyman, Jeigh Stanton-Gregor, imploring people to register to vote by the deadline.
“Just walk right up to the front desk of the municipal offices and Stacy or whoever is there can help you,” Thompson said.
“And it’s pretty darn easy so please register to vote,” Stanton-Gregor said.
“You fill out a form and we’ll even send it in for you,” Thompson said.
If all of the 19 positions are not filled in the municipal election the Assembly will advertise for letters of interest to fill the seats until the next election.
The boards will continue as staffed if possible until empty seats can be filled.
You have until 5 p.m. Tuesday to file for local office. The necessary paperwork can be picked up at the borough office and are also on the borough’s website.