Ferguson Township’s Board of Supervisors filled one of two vacancies this week with an appointment for at-large supervisor.
Lisa Strickland was unanimously approved by the board’s other four members and sworn in by Centre County Judge Katie Oliver at Monday night’s meeting.
Strickland was most recently chair of the township Planning Commission and has previously served as chair of the Centre Region Planning Commission.
She replaces Tony Ricciardi, who resigned from the board effective May 28 because he is leaving the township. Strickland will serve the remainder of Ricciardi’s term ending Dec. 31, 2021.
Applications for the position opened in early May when Ricciardi submitted his resignation and supervisors interviewed five candidates at a work session on June 11.
Supervisors will have another vacancy to fill in the coming weeks. Ward II Supervisor Peter Buckland, who also is moving out of the township, submitted his resignation in April, effective at the end of June. Monday was Buckland’s last meeting as a supervisor.
‘I’m excited to be moving to take the next step in my life… but I will really miss serving on the Board of Supervisors to work on issues that really matter to us,’ Buckland said. ‘This board… has always been committed to listening to our citizens and stakeholders and involving them as much as possible. We have taken a lot of extra time with an ordinance because of stakeholder and citizen feedback, and while it sometimes takes longer, I think that our being thoughtful, careful and measured are marks of very good governance.’
Applications for the Ward II position were accepted through May 31 and interviews will be conducted at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the township Municipal Building, 3147 Research Drive.
If the four remaining supervisors reach an agreement, an appointment would be made at the July 1 meeting. Buckland’s successor will serve out the remainder of his term, which concludes at the end of this year.
The Ward II position will be the third Ferguson Township supervisor vacancy to be filled this year. In addition to Strickland, former supervisor Richard Killian was appointed Ward III supervisor in February to replace Sara Carlson, who resigned at the beginning of the year citing health reasons.
