Lansford Borough saw a change in leadership for the new year ahead, selecting a new borough president and vice president Monday night.

Councilman George Gilbert will now serve as council president and was the only person nominated for the role.

His appointment. along with incoming Councilman Joe Genits as vice president and Councilwoman Michele Bartek, as president pro tem were unanimous.

Other appointments remained the same with Ashley McLaughlin as borough secretary, Maria Ahner as borough treasurer, Bob Yurchak as solicitor and ARRO Engineering as borough engineer.

ARRO will also continue to serve as UCC code and building permit official, but council held off on appointing a zoning official. Council will entertain hiring an in-house zoning official at its next meeting.

Bruce Markovich, who has served as council president for the past six years, announced ahead of the reorganization that he would not accept another term as council president.

He was also absent from the meeting.

In a letter to council, Markovich explained that his role had transitioned from capitalizing on the borough’s potential to dealing with issues caused by some council members.

“I wish I could say I see a bright future for the borough, but unfortunately, I do not,’ he wrote. “We are now mired in lawsuits both current and pending, unfunded sewer project costs, employee and union contract issues.

“I hope our next council president has both the time and knowledge to deal with these issues,” Markovich said.

“I am looking forward to no longer having to deal with attorneys, arbitrators, mediators, engineers, contractors and the host of others that contact the borough on a regular basis or spending weekends writing and administering grant applications,” he said in the letter.

Markovich, who plans on completing the remaining two years of his term on council, said he would prefer a less active role, not in conflict with the new council president.

He would also decline any position that would require him “to provide insight based upon my previous experience,” he wrote.

He suggested council could consider hiring a borough manager/grant writer to deal with the many issues the borough is facing, rather than an elected official.

Residents Tommy Vadyak and Rose Mary Cannon congratulated the new leadership, but also expressed concerns with how Markovich chose to step away from leadership without any clear transition.

“I am very disappointed in the past president,” Cannon said. “He left everything up in the air. If he truly cared about this town, he’d be sitting there and not worrying about being president.

“Shame on him,” she said. “He did a good job. Anyone who runs for office is to be praised, but this is not nice.”

Gilbert stopped Cannon from continuing, and said he could not speak on Markovich’s actions and despite his absence Monday, he continues to sit on council.

Meetings

Borough council will continue to meet on the second Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m. but will reserve executive sessions for afterward instead of ahead of its meetings. Council previously met in executive session from 6 to 6:30 p.m.

Council did not set committee or workshop meeting dates, holding off until committees are announced. Gilbert expects to announce the committees at the January regular meeting.

Council also approved a resolution establishing check signers at the Jim Thorpe Neighborhood Bank, reflecting the current leadership. Minutes from reorganization will be included with the document.

Council also wants to move forward with the annual audit for 2025 as soon as possible and will also seek quotes for a more detailed, comprehensive forensic audit.

Bartek suggested moving ahead with a forensic audit immediately, but Councilman Jack Soberick said they should seek quotes first because a forensic audit could be very costly.

Council will seek quotes or proposals for auditing firms for the annual audit and a forensic audit.

Genits also presented council with information from Lafayette College on a program/consulting to help small boroughs, such as Lansford, and suggested that the college’s Meyner Center Associate Director Nicole Beckett present to council in the future.

He also suggested the borough consider hiring a consultant to write grants for the borough, and suggested a firm to present to council.

Genits’ final suggestion was that council consider bringing back the junior council program, where an area high school student would be appointed to serve.

The program could foster interest for young people in running for office in the future, he said.