During a workshop meeting Wednesday, the Schuylkill County Commissioners appointed West Penn Township Supervisor Tony Prudenti to a five-year term on the county’s Zoning Hearing Board. The board made that move instead of reappointing Dan Daub, who chaired the board and had served on it for more than 20 years. Daub’s term expired at the end of 2019.

Prudenti also has a dedicated history of public service and was a member of the county’s Planning Commission for more than 18 years. Daub, chairman of the county’s Republican Party, is mayor of Tower City and manages the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen & Conservationists. He had an unsuccessful run to become Schuylkill County prothonotary in 2019.

Daub wanted to continue to serve on the board and had asked the commissioners to be reappointed. In a Facebook post he made before the meeting, he said that he was the only member of the zoning board from western Schuylkill County.

“As you may know, windmill farm projects will soon fall under the authority of the Zoning Hearing Board under the proposed new county ordinance,” Daub posted. “That will result in a board hearing the proposed Hegins/Porter/Frailey project composed of individuals who don’t reside there.”

A company called Clean Air Generation has leased 12,672 acres owned by Rausch Creek LLC, lands which include acreage in Hegins, Porter and Frailey townships. Schuylkill County is currently developing a curative amendment to its existing zoning ordinance, to address wind turbines and other land uses, such as medicinal marijuana facilities.

Before the action was taken at the meeting, Commissioner Frank Staudenmeier spoke on Daub’s behalf.

“Tony (Prudenti) is an outstanding person and public servant,” Staudenmeier said. “But Danny (Daub) has been 22 years on the board and wants to continue to serve.”

Staudenmeier asked the board to table the vote. Instead, the board did a roll-call vote on Prudenti’s appointment, with Chairman George Halcovage and Commissioner Gary Hess voting to appoint Prudenti. Staudenmeier voted against the move.

Prudenti joins Zoning Hearing Board members David Ambrose, Mary Jo Moss, Eric Seitzinger and Frank Zingary. Daub was unavailable for comment after the meeting.

In a related matter, the commissioners filled three open spots on the county’s Planning Commission, appointing Nicholas Boyle, Tamaqua; Jesse Fey, Barry Township; and Joseph Palubinsky, Ringtown. They fill seats left vacant by the resignations of Michael Vigoda and Robert Pitts, and Prudenti’s move to the Zoning Hearing Board. Members of Planning Commission are Chairman John Malinchok, Vice Chairman Gary Bender, David Briggs, Bob Lettich, David Sattizahn, Secretary James Setlock, Palubinsky, Boyle and Fey.