Harrisville council president Kathy Bray has assumed the position of temporary mayor for the borough after Mayor Gary Hughes, pictured here at the borough building in 2023, died unexpectedly June 1. Butler Eagle File Photo

Following the unexpected death of Mayor Gary Hughes on June 1, Harrisville council has 30 days to fill the vacant mayor’s post.

A council meeting on Monday, June 10, saw Kathy Bray, council president, assume the position of temporary mayor. Council vice president John McFadden will fill Bray’s seat as temporary council president.

McFadden said council will hold a special meeting on June 24 to appoint a mayor and further discuss the positions of council president and vice president. Council is accepting letters of interest for the position of mayor, McFadden said.

According to the borough mayors’ manual published by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, council members are required to fill a vacancy within 30 days “by appointing, by resolution, a registered elector of the borough to hold the office.” The appointed mayor will hold the office until the first Monday in January after the first municipal election.

Bray, who is filling in as temporary mayor, was not able to be reached for comment Tuesday evening.

Borough council on Monday also accepted the resignations of police officers Michael Greenlee and William Kiel, and council members approved the hiring of Jordan Waclav as a new police officer.