Lehighton Borough Council is back at full strength with the appointment of a new member.

On a 6-0 vote, council on Monday appointed Rebecca Worthy to a vacant seat.

Worthy was selected over one other candidate, Steven Heckman, who also applied.

Before the vote, council asked each candidate to tell council why they would like to serve.

Worthy said she is involved with several organizations in the community.

“It’s important to be involved with where you live,” Worthy said.

Worthy then took her seat on council after she was sworn in by borough Mayor Clark Ritter.

As part of her duties, Worthy will serve on the borough’s finance and administration committee, Light & Power committee, and library board.

After the meeting, Worthy said she was “super excited” to join council.

“I think we have a great council already, and I’m looking forward to venture forward with them,” she said. “I’m just looking forward to serving Lehighton and doing what’s best for them as a community.”

Worthy will serve until November. At that time, she will have to run for re-election.

She takes over for former Councilman Joe Flickinger, who resigned on Dec. 20.

In his resignation letter dated Dec. 16, Flickinger cited a change in his employment obligations that will leave him “unable to fully fulfill my obligations to my constituents that I have promised.”

Flickinger had served on council for the past nine years. Worthy said after the meeting she has huge shoes to fill. “He’s a great guy,” she said. “I’m looking forward to doing so.”