Joe Borkovich doesn’t pay much attention to the inner workings of his hometown. He just knows tiny Madison Borough remains a nice place to live.

Standing in the driveway of his home that overlooks the town’s park and playground, Borkovich, 81, said he sees no signs of Madison’s stagnant government that this week required court intervention to allow for the borough to pay its bills.

Since July, Madison has not had a functioning government after three council members and the mayor resigned.

“There’s not that much to do,” Borkovich said.

But what there is to do can’t be done. Two council members quit during the July council meeting, leaving the borough with two elected officers, one fewer than is required to conduct any official business.

Madison also was left without a mayor after Jerry Luke resigned at the same meeting. Luke tendered his resignation as part of plan that would have seen him appointed to council, already one member short. That plan was thwarted by the sudden resignations of Councilmen Jason Saunders and Robert Hildenbrand, leaving council unable to appoint Luke to fill one of the three vacancies.

With a population of 364 people, according to the latest counting by the U.S. Census Bureau, Madison is the fourth smallest municipality in Westmoreland County and one of the smallest boroughs in Pennsylvania.

Its struggles to fill elected offices is not unique, said David Greene, executive director of the Pennsylvania Local Government Commission.

“A significant number of municipalities are having vacancy problems,” Greene said. “We are seeing fewer and fewer participants of younger residents in governmental positions, particularly in the smaller boroughs.”

Pennsylvania has 955 incorporated boroughs, and 176, about 18%, have governmental vacancies, according the commission.

Greene said places such as Madison can ask the courts to reduce the size of the government and could consider merging with a larger neighbor. A potential merger would require approval from voters in the participating municipalities.

“In Pennsylvania, there is no forced merger or consolidation. All consolidations and mergers is a voluntary venture,” Greene said.

Chris Borick, a political science professor at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, said the struggle to fill leadership positions in small towns is likely to continue. Consolidation and mergers are unlikely remedies.

“We often don’t see support for that because they don’t want to give up their autonomy,” Borick said.

Madison’s council already was one member short when officials gathered at the borough offices July 16.

According to official records, submitted as part of a court filing, Councilman Jonathan Thomas submitted his resignation before the public meeting, which set in motion the temporary end of borough functions.

“All three council members … called the council president a liar. Vice president Jason Saunders stated he was done with the lies from (president) Jim (Ripini) and walked out, returning with his resignation letter,” according to the meeting minutes.

Hildenbrand quit minutes later, following another dispute with Ripini, according the meeting records.

Saunders declined to discuss the personal relationship among council members but said his resignation was based on personal reasons.

“My issue was a timing thing. It’s a little town, and it’s not like we’re doing anything Earth-shattering. I just didn’t have the time,” Saunders said. “The town in general has changed. There are a lot of rentals now, and it’s not like the old days when people lived here all their lives.”

Both Luke and Ripini attended the court hearing, but neither would discuss the issues that have stagnated Madison’s government.

Lawson and Hildenbrand could not be reached for comment.

State intervention?

State Rep. Eric Davanzo, R-Smithton, whose district includes Madison, said the fighting among the borough’s elected officials is regrettable. He suggested state lawmakers could intervene to make it easier for small governmental bodies, such as Madison, to reduce the size of their councils.

But the best solution is for local leaders to focus on the needs of their community, Davanzo said.

“We have to get back to a sense of common sense mentality to get to where we have people in public office who do what’s best for the public and not for themselves,” Davanzo said.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Chris Scherer said the county’s judges will meet this year to appoint applicants to fill three vacancies on Madison’s council. The judge also reinstated Luke as the town’s mayor and authorized the borough to pay a contractor for road resurfacing work, the salary of Madison’s one employee and monthly utility bills.

Madison voters will have the opportunity to elect two new council members in November. But there are no candidates on the ballot, according to the Westmoreland County Election Bureau.

Robert Cope, who has lived in Madison for 27 years, issued a clear message to local officials.

“It’s all (expletive). This town is something. Maybe we’ll elect some good people,” Cope said.

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