Cheswick appoints businessman to fill council vacancy

Cheswick’s vacancy board has appointed Brian Testa to borough council.

Council members were encouraged that three candidates applied for the position after, earlier in the year, they hadn’t received interest from anyone for the open seat except a past councilman willing to help out.

There are still openings on several other municipal boards in the community.

The two-year council seat opened up this year when incumbent Michael Girardi won both a four-year seat and a two-year seat in the November election. Girardi chose the four-year seat, leaving the two-year seat to be filled.

The vacancy board filled that seat, naming Testa during a special meeting Tuesday night.

The vacancy board is made up of the borough’s six council members and an appointed resident, Joe Ferrero. Ferrero chaired the meeting Tuesday, with all council members present except Frank Meledandri Jr.

The board unanimously chose Testa from the three candidates, Girardi said.

Testa, 37, is a director of a Georgia-based chemical company.

“I want to help Cheswick move into a new generation,” Testa said. He added that his background in financials for operating a business will help him with his work on council.

Although Girardi declined to release the other candidates’ names, he said, “it was not an easy decision.” He said council interviewed the candidates last week.

“If any one of those candidates would have been the only one, I’d be happy to have any of them serve,” he said.

Volunteers sought for other boards

Girardi would like those candidates and other residents to consider serving on some of the borough’s other boards, including a seat on the Planning Commission, a seat on the Zoning Hearing Board and three seats on the Agan Park Board.

Also Tuesday, council approved the new Agan Park Joint Recreation Board, which includes three seats each for Cheswick and Springdale Borough, and a tie-breaking position to alternate between the communities annually.

The special recreation board was set up to formalize responsibilities between the communities and promote the underutilized park, Girardi said.

For Agan Park, council would like interested board members to contact the borough by the end of day March 9 for consideration and possible appointment during council’s meeting March 17.