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DUNCANSVILLE -- The borough will start the new year without a police chief, a mayor or a budget.
"They neglected their duty to show up," Mayor Dale Shaw said of three members of the Borough Council whose absence Wednesday night meant the final meeting of the year had to be canceled for lack of a quorum.
Dave Shaw, Jeff Wolfe and outgoing Councilwoman April Cramer were no-shows, and after they were reached by phone as the 7 p.m. start time for the scheduled meeting came and passed, Council President Cynthia Blontz announced Dave Shaw and Wolfe indicated they were sick. Davis reportedly said at the Dec. 11 meeting that it was her last.
Blontz and Vice President Jeanette Mills, along with the mayor, expressed their frustration, with Blontz pointing out that none of the absent council members notified the borough office to say they would not be there, as is the protocol for missing a meeting.
"Unfortunately, we can't have a meeting," Blontz said, noting that council needed three of the five members to be present. The mayor could not be counted to have a quorum of council, she added.
Mills pointed out council had yet to vote on a new budget as well as fill some key vacancies, such as that of police chief, tax collector and -- because Dale Shaw is stepping down for health reasons -- mayor.
The lack of a quorum means the wait continues for council to replace longtime police chief James Ott, who was sworn as Blair County sheriff Wednesday.
Ott's 18-year tenure as chief comes to an end Friday, and although council voted in November to promote Duncansville police officer William Rhoades to lieutenant and serve as "officer in charge," questions remain over whether the next chief will be full time or part time.
Council sought candidates in August but were unsuccessful in filling the position. At the Nov. 12 meeting after an executive session to discuss the issue, members of council voted to go forward with advertising the job as a part-time/full-time position.
The possibility of the chief position becoming a part-time job didn't sit well with residents attending the Nov. 12 meeting.
Blontz said at that meeting she wanted the chief position to remain full time, and Councilwoman April Cramer told the audience council was not favoring one over the other.
Blontz said Wednesday night that the new budget, which was tentatively approved earlier in the month, came with no tax increase and included a full-time police chief position, plus raises for borough employees. Ott's hourly wage had been $19.49.
Ott indicated candidates for a new chief had been interviewed, and he again said he was frustrated by a lack of action by council.
Council next meets on Jan. 8 for its reorganizational meeting, with David Smith taking office to replace the outgoing Cramer.
Mirror Staff Writer Greg Bock is at 946-7458.