Summit Hill’s new mayor, Karen Ruzicka, officially resigned as a member of borough council on Monday, creating a vacancy on that panel.

Ruzicka announced her resignation after serving as president pro tem of the council during the opening segment of the reorganization meeting.

After a council president was elected, Ruzicka announced that she was resigning the seat on council to serve as the new mayor.

She then swore in reelected tax collector Nathan Halenar, reelected councilmen Joseph Weber and Ed Kane, and newly elected council member Sherri Buzik.

Renamed president was David Wargo, who has held the position for the past two years. He is a 10-year member of the council.

Wargo said letters of interest to fill Ruzicka’s seat will be accepted until 4 p.m. Jan. 13 at borough hall.

The council will hold its regular January meeting at 6:30 p.m. Jan 13. Wargo said letters of interest for the council seat will be read aloud at that meeting.

Wargo said the council has 30 days to fill the vacancy or it will be filled by the Carbon County Court. He said the council could fill the position without seeking letters of intent, but he feels it is fair to give all citizens an opportunity to apply.

All the officers and appointments that occurred Monday were by unanimous vote of the council.

Weber was reelected vice president. Marlene Basiago was name president pro tem.

Kira Steber was reappointed to numerous positions: borough secretary, treasurer, garbage fee collector, sewer transmission fee collector, administrative officer for the police and borough pension fund, and administrative officer for the borough’s Community Development Block Grant and Home Grant funds.

Although appointments were approved to various municipal groups, there are some vacancies that couldn’t be filled because there were no applicants.

Most pressing, said Wargo, is the borough Recreation Commission. Three vacancies exist. Since it’s a five-member panel, the commission can’t meet until at least one more appointment is made.

Three seats are also vacant on the Appeals Board, and one vacancy exists on the Summit Hill Planning Commission.

Wargo urged anyone interested in filling a vacancy to submit their intent in a letter.

Other appointments that occurred were:

• Attorney Robert Frycklund was renamed borough solicitor at the rate of $125 per hour.

• Jim Thorpe Neighborhood Bank and Pennsylvania Local Government Investment Trust were retained as depositors for borough funds.

• Todd Woodward will continue to serve as chief of police.

• Shawn Hoben was reappointed fire chief.

• Kevin Steber was retained as the borough’s Emergency Management Coordinator.

• Ian Farrell of Creekside Consultants LLC will continue as the borough’s sewage enforcement officer. Scott Bieber will continue serving as alternate sewage enforcement officer.

• Attorney Kelly Jamison was renamed solicitor zoning hearing board and planning commission solicitor.

• AARO will continue as borough consulting engineer.

• Lehigh Engineering was retained for building code official, uniform construction code administration, code and administration and rental inspector.

• David McAndrew was reappointed to a five-year term on the Summit Hill Water Authority. Two other people submitted letters of intent.

• Michael Kokinda was named to a five-year term on the Coaldale-Lansford-Summit Hill Sewer Authority.

• Thomas Tkach was renamed to a three-year term on the Summit Hill Zoning Hearing Board.

• William Walker will continue serving on the Civil Service Commission. One other individual applied.