Aspinwall Council fills vacancy; vice president position to be decided in March

Aspinwall has a new council member.

Patti McCaffrey, a Realtor for RE/MAX Select Realty and member of several Realtor associations, was appointed to fill a vacancy Wednesday, Feb.8.

She had been a part of the comprehensive plan committee, among numerous other borough activities, and wanted to be on the other side of the council table.

“I’ve always been interested in everything that happens with the community,” McCaffrey said after the meeting. “To me, this ended up being the call to action.”

McCaffrey fills in for former council Vice President Dave Borland, who resigned Dec. 14. Borland said at the time he plans to move out of the borough yet stay within the Fox Chapel Area School District.

Council had opted not to formally accept his resignation at the December or January meetings. Instead, it elected to let the resignation take effect Jan. 28, a full 45 days after Borland offered it.

McLaughlin said the resignation was handled that way to give council more time to screen potential candidates.

Borland had been appointed to council in April 2018 to fill the unexpired term of Jennifer Evashavik, who had resigned that month. Borland then successfully ran for election. He was set to enter his final year of a four-year term in January.

McCaffrey said she plans to run in the upcoming election to retain the seat for the next four years.

Borough Manager Melissa Lang O’Malley said there were seven applicants for the position, but only five were both registered voters and residents eligible for the seat.

The vote was 3-2-1 with council members Heth Turnquist, Lara Voytko and Marcia Cooper voting for McCaffrey.

Jeff Harris and Mary Hancock voted for Mark Chimel, a senior research designer and analyst at Carnegie Mellon University.

Council President Tim McLaughlin abstained.

McLaughlin, CEO of the marketing and communications business 321Blink, said he recused himself because his company has done business with several of the candidates’ employers.

He commended McCaffrey’s service to the borough and feels she will be a great addition to council.

“We had a couple other folks that I thought had really good credentials as well,” McLaughlin said. “Patti will be good (for us). She knows people. She’s always been active at the meetings and other Aspinwall events. She’ll be good.”

Council declined to name a new vice president, saving that decision for March.

“It was great to see so much enthusiasm to serve the residents of Aspinwall,” Turnquist said. “All the candidates displayed a love of Aspinwall and numerous positive attributes and unique skill sets that would have been helpful in local governance.

“Going into the selection process, everyone expressed that it was important to make sure that we selected a person that could clearly see Dave and everyone’s work on the comprehensive plan to the finish line. And Patti’s experience matched up with that criteria.”

Borough officials are familiar with McCaffrey as she has attended council meetings frequently for more than 25 years and volunteered for various groups.

McCaffrey was sworn in by Mayor Joe Noro.

The new member said she was surprised at how quickly she was welcomed aboard.

“It was certainly a real surreal feeling (at the meeting) because it happened very quickly,” McCaffrey said. “They had the vote. I was sworn in. They’re like, ‘Come on up here.’ Even initially when I started down this path, I didn’t know it would be that quickly. I feel like sometimes borough business really languishes. That felt pretty quick.

“I’m excited and happy to get started and continue all the good works Dave Borland was working on. … I’ve got big shoes to fill, but I’m really excited to get to the phases of starting to see the (comprehensive) plan come to fruition and get implemented.”

McCaffrey was a founding member of Aspinwall Toastmasters. She was involved with the Civic Association and Town Center Associates for years, is still a part of the neighborhood watch — now called Aspinwall Neighbors — and is a board member of the Riverfront Theater Company to name a few.

“I just love it for all the things that it gives to me, so I try to give back, too,” McCaffrey said of her love of Aspinwall. “I love the sidewalk community. This is one of those places where you literally can knock on your neighbor’s door and borrow a stick of butter.

“We love sitting on our front porch and watching everybody walk by with their dogs. We have nice park options all within walking distance, a nice diverse restaurant business (district) all within walking distance. I can walk to my church. It’s nice to be able to do so many things all within walking distance.”

McCaffrey was not the only person to be appointed by council to fill a vacancy.

Ben Zimmerman was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Randy Stranger on the Shade Tree Commission.

Zimmerman, who was the only candidate for the position, will serve through 2026.