Supervisors appoint Peter D. Scilla to serve until year’s end
By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times
Peter D. Scilla, who moved to New Garden Township in 2011 from New Jersey, was tapped Monday night to fill the supervisor vacancy left by Warren E. Reynolds.
Following less than half an hour of discussion Monday night, the New Garden Township supervisors voted unanimously to appoint Peter D. Scilla to fill the vacancy created by former Supervisor Warren E. Reynolds, who resigned on June 5.
The special meeting was advertised to continue a selection process that began on June 26, when seven of nine candidates attended the proceeding. On Monday, the field had narrowed to seven after two withdrawals – Michael Decker and Rudy A. Alfonso – but only two of the hopefuls were present: Scilla and Patrick J. Keeney.
“Oddly enough, the two best candidates are sitting here,” commented Supervisor Bob Norris. His colleagues echoed his sentiments. Supervisors’ Chairman Stephen Allaband noted that although candidates Randy Geouque and Richard Zimny had excellent qualifications, he felt they should not be considered since both are running in November and the appointment would give them an unfair advantage.
Supervisor Robert J. Perrotti suggested that he would give a slight edge to Keeney for his experience since he had served previously as a supervisor; however, he said he would defer to the majority. Both Norris and Gordon said they favored Scilla because he had been attending meetings regularly and has worked with the zoning hearing board as well as the Avondale Fire Company. “Mr. Keeney served eight or nine years ago,” Gordon commented. “A lot of things are quite different now.”
After the unanimous vote, Allaband said a July 3 meeting, scheduled in case further discussion was needed to fill the vacancy, would be canceled. He said candidates interested in getting on the ballot for Reynolds’ unexpired two-year term should contact a party chair or Voter Services, if they are independents.
Scilla, a pharmaceutical manager who relocated to the township in 2011, extended thanks to the board “for putting your confidence in me.” He also expressed gratitude to the other candidates for their willingness to serve. “I was pretty impressed with what I saw,” he said.
Continuing that theme, the supervisors agreed to send thank-you notes to all of the other eight candidates, including Alfonso, Decker, Geouque, Keeney, Zimny, Robert M. Abernethy Jr., Jim DiLuzio, and Norman S. Nunn.
After the meeting, Scilla said he had not decided yet whether to pursue Reynolds’ unexpired term. He is expected to be sworn in before the supervisors’ July 22 meeting and will serve until the end of the year.
