As they say: Out with the old, and in with the new.
But not so fast. At least not with the State College borough council, which prefers an appreciative goodbye as council members depart from their final meeting.
The 2015 council convened at noon on Monday for the final time, holding a sendoff of sorts for three members that were leaving, two thanks to term limits and the third by choice. Council president Jim Rosenberger and members Peter Morris and Sarah Klinetob were the trio of outgoing borough representatives.
Each of the three received a short ode from one of their colleagues and a handful of gift cards to their favorite local restaurants or stores before stepping down from the panel overlooking the council chambers for the final time.
Tom Daubert started, thanking his longtime friend and colleague in Rosenberger and reminding them all that their service to the borough doesn’t stop when they leave council.
‘They’re not finished. They think they’re done, but they’re not done,’ Daubert said. ‘There are six past council members who are members of our ABCs at this present time. We keep using these people over and over and over again. So don’t think you’re going to get out of anything by doing this.’
Rosenberger gave a short but emotional speech to his fellow council members and those in attendance at the rare daytime meeting.
‘It has been a real privilege to serve my community for these eight years. It’s been a joy working with the mayor and my fellow council members,’ he said. ‘We many times disagree on issues and frankly, we’re usually not far apart but we still discuss and vote against each other. But we always walk out friends and we always walk out committed to our community.’
Theresa Lafer was up next, speaking about Klinetob, who served just one four-year term on council before choosing not to run for reelection. Lafer said she regrets that Klinetob didn’t run again, but ‘in the mean time, we know that she is a gift and a joy to our community.’
Klinetob said she never expected the challenge that came with being a councilwoman in State College, but is thankful for her time serving the borough and learned a lot.
‘I didn’t know what I was getting into but I’m glad I got into it,’ she said. ‘I learned how a community works, the complexities and intricacies, and like Mr. Rosenberger said, we all come out friends despite our differences. I think that was a really great lesson to learn.’
Councilman Evan Myers was up last, saying some parting words to Morris, who he said he met more than 25 years ago over a game of Trivial Pursuit that Morris won.
‘There has been nothing trivial though about Peter’s presence on council,’ Myers quipped. ‘He speaks his mind and stands very strongly for what he believes in. We wish him luck and I hope that we’ll hear more from him.’
Morris thanked his colleagues on council, the community members that elected him to serve the borough, and the borough staff, which he said has done a fantastic job.
‘I appreciate all you did for me and did with me,’ Morris said to the borough staff.
After new council members David J. Brown, Janet Engeman, and Jesse Barlow were sworn in along with incumbent Catherine Dauler, the newly formed council was tasked with electing its leadership. Daubert was unanimously voted in to replace Rosenberger as council president, taking over for the man he’d handed a gift just minutes earlier.
‘I’d like to thank the members of council for putting me up to do this again,’ he said. ‘I’ve done it twice before over the last 24 years. I think that it’s a great honor to do this.’
