Lock Haven City Council: Stringfellow Steps Down, Mincer Steps In
LOCK HAVEN – City council member Sara Stringfellow has accepted a teaching position in Dauphin County so on Monday night she submitted her resignation from council. Council immediately moved to replace her with Bill Mincer, an unsuccessful candidate when council filled a vacancy in June.
Stringfellow served on city council for three and a half years, most of that time while finishing her schooling at Lock Haven University. She thanked her fellow council members for the experience and said she started teacher training in the Harrisburg School District last Saturday. She was recognized by multiple council members for her service to the city.
The occasion was marked by attendance at the meeting from former city mayor Rick Vilello, Stringfellow’s uncle. He noted he was present for his niece’s first meeting and now her last. It was Vilello’s first time back at a council meeting since he resigned early in 2015. He joined the Gov. Tom Wolf administration at that time. Vilello said he has traveled all over the state in his position in community development but said Lock Haven remains “a special place” and praised council for its fair-handed treatment of issues under consideration.
Council briefly discussed how to proceed to fill the Stringfellow vacancy. Member Doug Byerly motioned for the appointment of Mincer and the hill district resident was approved on a 5-1 vote. Council vice-president Steve Stevenson was the lone “no” vote. He earlier had talked of re-opening the replacement interview process, rather than choosing from the two runners-up in June when Richard Morris was approved to replace the late Jonathan Bravard. Stevenson later said his no vote was a procedural one, rather than one against Mincer.
Mincer and Merle Harnish, along with Morris, had been interviewed in June, Morris the choice to fill the vacancy at the time.
Monday’s meeting saw the city introduce its new public works director, Anthony Stopper of Beech Creek. He most recently had been assistant borough engineer in State College. He is a graduate of Penn College. Stopper becomes the city’s first public works director in 15 years, a post last filled by the late Rich Ardner.
