Clifton Heights Borough Council reorganizes leadership, swears in officials and confirms appointments

Clifton Heights Borough Council convened for its annual reorganization, administering oaths of office to newly seated members and confirming a slate of leadership roles and borough officers by voice vote.

Several newly elected or reappointed officials took the oath of office at the start of the meeting. Mary Doherty, Samantha Biles and Tina Wiley, among others, each recited the statutory oath, saying, “I do solemnly swear that I will support, obey, and defend the Constitution of the United States … and that I will discharge the duties of my office with fidelity.”

The council opened nominations for leadership positions. Suzanne Brittis nominated John Cannon for council president, and Tina Wiley seconded the nomination; the council conducted a voice vote and declared John Cannon the new president of council. Bill Braun nominated Suzanne Brutus for vice president (seconded by a council member referenced in the transcript as “Swan”); that nomination also passed by voice vote. Samantha Biles was nominated and confirmed as president pro tempore.

Council then moved through a series of appointments for borough officers and committee representatives. By voice votes the council confirmed Christine Panarelli as council secretary; Tom (Thomas) Makosi as borough manager; Gianna Martin as borough treasurer; John McLean as borough solicitor; JP Kelly as borough engineer; and John Gould as zoning officer and code official. Matt Verdi and Bill Baker were confirmed as code enforcement officers. Bruce Fascioli was appointed to the borough sewer authority and Mark J. Campbell was named the borough’s representative to the Darby Creek Joint Sewer Authority.

The finance officer nomination and the recorded appointment show a discrepancy in the transcript: a nomination referenced a Cindy Lizzell, while the record later states that Shinji Lachsel was appointed finance officer. The record contains similar name-variant inconsistencies for other posts (for example, the fire marshal and health officer lines). Those inconsistencies are noted here and listed in clarifying details below.

The council also authorized depositories for borough funds (First Bank, Plaget, and Fulton Bank), approved authorized signers on payroll accounts (including the treasurer and council leadership), and filled two zoning board seats: a five-year term (2026–2031) and the remainder of an existing term vacated by Michelle Hartell. Where the transcript records voice votes, the chair declared the motions carried; in one vote a recorded approval count of five was noted when appointing a planning commission member.

No substantive policy debate or contested roll-call votes were recorded during the reorganizational items; most confirmations were handled by voice vote after nomination and second. Near the close of the meeting a member raised that the civil service commission item had been missed; the commission was noted as already in place. A motion and second to adjourn were recorded toward the end of the transcript.

The transcript contains several instances that appear to be transcription variants of names (for example, Suzanne Brittis vs. Suzanne Brutus; Cindy Lizzell vs. Shinji Lachsel; Ken Cuddy vs. Daniel Cully; Bridal Roushies vs. an alternate rendering). Those variants are noted in the clarifying details and proper_names fields. Where possible the article reproduces names exactly as they appear in the meeting record and highlights potential inconsistencies for verification by the borough clerk.