Morris Choice for LH Council Vacancy

LOCK HAVEN – Richard Morris has been a Lock Haven City Council meeting regular for almost ten years, all as an audience member.

Monday night he received a majority vote of council to become a full-fledged council member. The vote was 4-2 for Morris to replace the late Jonathan Bravard who passed away in April. He will fill Bravard’s unexpired term, through Jan. 5, 2020.

Council had tried to fill the vacancy in May but with only four of the then-six sitting members in attendance, none of the three candidates received the required four votes. Monday night’s meeting saw all six sitting council members in attendance and they spent half an hour quizzing Morris and fellow candidates Merle Harnish and Bill Mincer on their views.

When it was time for a vote, councilman Rick Conklin nominated Morris. He was approved by a 4-2 margin, ending the need for any additional votes on the other candidates. Joining Conklin in support of Morris were Mayor Bill Baney and council members Sara Stringfellow and Joel Long who had missed last month’s vote. Voting against Morris were Doug Byerly and Steve Stevenson.

Morris was administered the oath of office by Mayor Baney and sat with council for the remainder of the meeting. Afterward, noting his many years at council sessions, Morris said, “Let’s hope this is not the end of a long road,” adding “I’m happy to be here, now actually part of it.”

The meeting also saw the presentation of the late Bravard’s mayoral portrait, which current Mayor Baney shared with Bravard’s brother Chris. Jonathan Bravard served city government for 14 years, most of them as a council member, along with a 10-month period as mayor in 2015 after previous Mayor Rick Vilello had resigned to accept a position in Harrisburg and prior to the election that November of Baney as the next mayor.