CLARKS SUMMIT — Members of the borough council voted, 6-0, to elect Gerrie Carey as president during the reorganization session of the Jan. 2 meeting. Carey has served as a member of council for 18 years and has been president since 2008.

“I think what makes (our council) work so well is that everybody has different opinions, but we all work together to resolve issues,” Carey said. “Everybody is here for the common good of all the people in the borough and they bring forward their requests.”

David Jenkins was elected to serve as vice president and Frank Besten was elected as president pro tempore.

Members of the council voted, 5-2, to start the process of reinstituting the position of sergeant in the police department. Councilmen Vince Cruciani, Besten, Jenkins and Dominic Scott, along with Carey, voted yes. Councilmen Bob Bennett and Patrick Williams voted no.

Any full-time officers on the force may apply for the position and take the required test, which will be paid for by the borough. Members of the council will decide in March whether or not to hire an officer for the position.

“I think it would bring more supervision to the department and the (sergeant) would be able to help the chief out with appraisals and setting up training for our younger officers,” Clarks Summit mayor Herman Johnson said. “I think it’s a win-win situation for the police department and the residents. I always said if you look at Lackawanna County, many places have sergeants and lieutenants…we have to come out of the stone age and modernize our department. We have the equipment, now we just have to get the administrative part squared away.”

According to Johnson, the borough’s police department had a sergeant in the early 1980s.

Gerrie Carey, right, was elected as president of Clarks Summit Council during the reorganization session of the borough’s Jan. 2 meeting.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/web1_ABJ-CS-Council-Carey.jpg.optimal.jpgGerrie Carey, right, was elected as president of Clarks Summit Council during the reorganization session of the borough’s Jan. 2 meeting. Robert Tomkavage | Abington Journal

By Robert Tomkavage

rtomkavage@timesleader.com

Reach Robert Tomkavage at 570-704-3941 or on Twitter @rtomkavage.