For a long time, Edward Kane and his wife, Terri, have been attending Summit Hill Borough Council meetings as audience members.

Last night, Edward Kane became a member of the council.

The council voted 4-2 for Kane to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of vice chairman William “Billy” O’Gurek earlier this month. Kane was one of four people to apply for the seat.

He is a lifelong resident of Summit Hill and a former zoning officer. He presently sits on the Zoning Hearing Board. He is also a member of the Hootenanny Committee.

He has been employed by Blue Ridge Communications for 30 years.

Others who applied were John Dowling, a financial analyst with Jim Thorpe Neighborhood Bank; Sherri Buzik, an accounts payable clerk; and Michael Crampsie, who was a state auditor for 15 years.

Council President David Wargo told the applicants, “All four of you are the best candidates I’ve seen apply for council ... since I’ve been here.”

Initially, the vote to put Kane on council was deadlocked, 3-3. Council members Lacy Gonzalez, Karen Ruzicka and Joseph Weber supported Kane, while Wargo, Marlene Basiago and Alan Kruslicky voted no.

A vote to appoint Dowling followed but was defeated 4-2, with Gonzalez, Ruzicka, Weber and Kruslicky voting no against the support of Wargo and Basiago.

Kruslicky then nominated Buzik, but that vote fell by a 5-1 margin, after which time Wargo eventually changed his vote to support Kane and the appointment was made.

The council then unanimously selected Weber as vice president and Ruzicka as president pro-tem. Weber previously was president pro-tem.

In other business:

• Council agreed to hire Dietrich Tree Service of Tamaqua to cut down three dead maple trees in Ludlow Park at a price of $1,900.

Kira Steber, secretary/treasurer of the borough, said several other firms were contacted and asked to submit prices but only Dietrich made a bid.

• Borough resident Michele Midas asked the council to consider making angle parking on both sides of the unit block of West Ludlow Street. She said she feels the street is wide enough and measurements she took indicates an additional 12 parking spaces could be added, helping not just businesses on the street but also the residents.

She owns the Midas Touch Hair Salon on West Ludlow Street, and said she and her husband may be adding another business. Three other businesses could be locating on the street in the future, she said.

Wargo said the matter will be referred to the borough’s engineer to determine if the street is wide enough and if the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation regulations will permit angle parking.

• Gonzalez urged council to begin work on its 2025 budget. Wargo agreed to have budget meetings on the fourth Mondays in September and October instead of the committee meetings that are scheduled.