A seat on Bowmanstown Borough Council is up for grabs after the departure of a council member.

On a 4-0 vote, council on Tuesday accepted the resignation of Councilwoman Donna Winter. Winter, along with Councilwomen Kara Scott and Candace Rodrigues were absent.

Winter stated in her resignation letter, “My priorities have changed in the past six months, and I cannot devote the time necessary to serve.”

Afterward, council said any borough resident interested in filling the position may submit a letter of interest to the borough office.

Winter, who had been routinely absent from council meetings for the past several months, was appointed to an empty seat in November 2020.

She replaced Rodrigues, who initially resigned in October 2020.

Rodrigues was then appointed by council in December 2020 to fill the vacant seat of former Councilwoman Barbara Eastland.

Council pay ordinance

Also on Tuesday, council briefly discussed an amendment to the ordinance regarding compensation of council members.

It was stated that Mayor Zach Snyder did not sign the ordinance, but also did not return the ordinance at the next regularly scheduled meeting.

“It goes into effect as is,” said council President Pam Leiby.

Last month, council on a 4-1 vote adopted the council pay ordinance in which council members who fail to appear at regular meetings will be docked for their absenteeism. Scott was opposed.

Winter and Rodrigues were absent.

Afterward, Snyder told council it was his intention to veto the ordinance.

Councilman Rob Moyer said he wished Snyder would have told council of his intention beforehand.

However, Snyder told Moyer he previously let it be known to council that was his intention.

Later at that meeting, resident Sharon Krebs asked Snyder at that time why he planned to veto the ordinance.

Snyder responded by telling Krebs he thinks it’s best served at the ballot box.

Snyder added he thinks there needs to be a larger pool of people running for council, and believes that docking council members for not being in attendance isn’t going to solve the matter.

In March, council on a 4-1 vote agreed to advertise the council pay ordinance for adoption at this month’s meeting. Scott was opposed.

Before that vote, borough solicitor Lisa Pereira said she prepared a draft amending an ordinance which set the new rate of compensation in 2017 to add a new section that spells out no compensation to council.

The ordinance states that no compensation should be paid in any month to a member of council who has failed to attend any regular meeting unless the member’s absence is due to an illness, an immediate family member’s illness, or the death of an immediate family member.

Scott said she believes the language about illness “opens a can of worms.”

Councilman William Ravert said at that time he didn’t necessarily believe it would prove difficult to know whether a council member was sick.

Council members are paid $100 a month.

In 2022, Rodrigues missed eight meetings, Ravert missed seven (most of which were medical issues), Winter missed five, Scott missed two and Leiby missed one.