Last night, Tyrone Borough Council appointed Don Boytim as a new council member at its first meeting of the new year.
The borough received two letters of interest for the position left vacant when J.R. Watson resigned from council last month. The other applicant before council was Jay Young. Both men had previously sought election for council positions.
Both men are Tyrone residents as required by the borough’s charter to serve on council. Both answered a series of questions about their background, their availability for council meetings, possible conflicts of interests and the reason why they wanted to serve on council.
Mayor Patricia Stoner urged both men to consider running for council when seats come up later this year regardless of the outcome of the council vote.
After the interviews, solicitor Larry Clapper passed out ballots and the council voted on the two choices. The vote was unanimous with a 7-0 score in favor of Boytim. He was then sworn in by Clapper and assumed his seat and participated in the rest of council activity for the evening.
After the meeting he was asked why he wanted to serve on council.
“I just like to work with the business community and anybody in the town that wants to make the town a better place to live,” said Boytim. “I’m easy to talk to, willing to listen to anybody (and) always available for new ideas.”
During the interview, both men said if they were chosen they would run for election. Solicitor Clapper explained the appointed member would hold the position as an appointee during this year. He explained that Watson’s term was due to run two more years. However, according to the borough’s charter, if the appointee wanted to continue on council he would need to seek at least a one-year term in the next election.
It was also noted four seats on council would be up for election this year for four-year terms including Stoner’s position as mayor and the terms of three other council members.
Boytim will have the choice of seeking the one-year term or going for one of available four-year terms. After the meeting, Boytim said before the vacancy came up, he had intended on running for a four-year term this year.
Boytim, 52, is an executive with Target stores in Altoona and was born and raised in Tyrone. He left the area in 1970 and returned in 1992.
Young was contacted this morning and said he planned to seek a term to borough council in this year’s primary election.
Council also appointed William Latchford as vice president to fill the vacancy created when Watson resigned. Latchford had held the position previously during part of his time as a council member.
