North Huntingdon to accept letters of interest to fill 7th Ward seat on board

North Huntingdon officials are accepting letters of interest from voters in the township’s Seventh Ward to fill the short-term vacancy of a commissioner who is retiring at the end of the month.

The June 30 retirement of Commissioner Eric Gass will give the remaining six commissioners 30 days to fill the vacancy, said Bruce Dice, township solicitor. The person appointed must be a registered voter in the Seventh Ward for at least one year and will serve only until Dec. 31, Dice said.

The letters will be accepted at the township administration office at 11279 Center Highway, North Huntingdon, until July 3, a week before the commissioners’ July 10 workshop session.

Gass, a Republican, said he is resigning because he is moving to Sewickley Township.

Because Gass’ term does not expire until Dec. 31, 2027, Dice said the county will conduct a special election in November to fill the remainder of Gass’ term from Jan. 1 to the end of 2027.

The Republican and Democratic parties in North Huntingdon can nominate a person to run for the two-year term, Dice said.

Scott Ross, director of the Westmoreland County Bureau of Elections, could not be reached for comment Friday on plans for a special election.

Michael J. Pardus, chairman of the Norwin PT Area Democrats, said that the committee will select a Democrat interested in running for the two-year term.

“The (commissioner) seats have gone unchallenged for way too long. People have been reluctant to jump into the fray. We’re working to change that,” said Pardus, a Penn Township resident.

North Huntingdon commissioners Richard Gray and Zachary faced no opposition in the May primary and no Democrat was on the ballot to represent those two wards. In the race for a nomination in the Sixth Ward, there were three Republicans seeking their party’s nomination in the May primary, but no Democrats.

The Norwin Republican Committee will nominate a Republican from the township’s Seventh Ward, said Steve Cleaveland, chairman of the Norwin Republican Committee.