Hamburg names new councilman

HAMBURG — Hamburg’s Borough Council didn’t take long to appoint a new council member to fill the seat of the recently resigned Chris Kelly due to his family’s move to Wantage Township, naming Russell Law occupy the seat for the rest of the year.

As Kelly was elected as a Republican, state law requires the seat to be filled by a Republican. After voting to accept the resignation, the governing body looked at the three names of suitable replacements supplied by the Republican Committee.

John Haig, Wendy Brick and Russell Law are all members of the borough’s Land Use board. As Law was a previous council member, losing his bid for re-election in last year’s primary, the council unanimously decided to go with the experienced candidate and appointed him to the seat.

“I’d like to thank the council members and mayor for inviting me back to the council,” Law said, adding that he is happy to be able to see a few projects come to completion.

Law will fill the seat for the remainder of 2014 before an election determines who will complete the term. As Kelly was in his first year of a three-year term, the winner of November’s election will complete the final two years of Kelly’s unexpired term. Petitions will be accepted before this year’s primary for Democratic or Independent candidates who wish to run for the office.