City narrows down to four field of possible Rephann replacements

From Staff Reports

CUMBERLAND — When city residents learned a council seat would become vacant, the thought became the need for female representation as well as a call for youth.

It appears the mayor and city council are looking at both.

Officials announced Tuesday they had narrowed the field of 11 potential candidates to four with Lindsay Farris, Brian Grim, David Kauffman and Mary Beth Pirolozzi making the final cut.

City Administrator Jeff Repp said the four will participate in a type of candidate’s forum Tuesday during the 6:15 p.m. meeting at City Hall. The candidates will be given three to five minutes to speak where they’ll be asked to provide a “biographical sketch” of themselves as well as why they’re interested in serving on the council.

Once the meeting is adjourned, the public is welcome to stay and speak to the candidates, although city officials will not participate in those meetings, Repp said.

Officials will meet again to decide who will fill the seat to be vacated by Councilman Terry Rephann.

Repp said the goal is to have someone in place for the Sept. 18 meeting, although the person cannot officially be sworn in until Rephann resigns.

Rephann announced in June that he would resign his council seat because he has accepted a job in Virginia.

First elected to office in 2000, Rephann is the youngest council member and recently advocated filling his slot with someone in his age range.

The term expires Jan. 5, 2009. That means the newest member will fill that seat until then, but should that person wish to retain it, he’ll have to file as a candidate by Dec. 3.

Others who submitted letters of interest are Gerald Chambers, Jim Combs, John Harvey Jr., Donald Hedrick, Bernard Lechman, Richard Noreikis and Stanley Robinette.