Vilello Named to Wolf Transition Team

AdminDecember 12, 2014Last Updated: December 12, 2014

1 minute read

Lock Haven Mayor, Rick Vilello, left, and Pennsylvania Governor-elect, Tom Wolf right speaking during one of Wolf's campaign stops in Clinton Count earlier this year. — Lock Haven Mayor, Rick Vilello, left, and Pennsylvania Governor-elect, Tom Wolf right speaking during one of Wolf’s campaign stops in Clinton Count earlier this year.

YORK – Gov.-elect Tom Wolf Thursday named Lock Haven Mayor Rick Vilello as a member of his transition team.

Vilello was picked by the governor-elect to head a review committee for the state police.

The announcement said those named will work with the outgoing Corbett administration to better understand the issues and challenges that face the executive branch as Wolf prepares to take over as governor Jan. 20.

Vilello had been a supporter of fellow-Democrat Wolf through the York County businessman’s successful run for governor over the course of the spring and fall.

Vilello, Lock Haven’s mayor since 1999, told The Record he had been asked to serve and said he responded that he would help “in any way I can,” calling the appointment a “huge challenge.”

He said he believed he was picked to chair the state police transition committee because of his role in Lock Haven government and his location in central Pennsylvania where there are communities with no police protection other than the state police, communities with part-time police protection and cities such as Lock Haven with a full-time police department.

Vilello is about to enter the final year in his fourth term as city mayor and had announced earlier he would not be a candidate for re-election. He has been involved in negotiating five contracts with city police during his time in office.

Wolf said he was “pleased to announce this outstanding group of individuals who will review state agencies and provide insight into issues that will allow me to have the knowledge necessary to hit the ground running on Jan. 20.”