A nameplate for now-former Towamencin supervisor Laura Smith stands on the dais in front of her empty seat as her fellow supervisors voted to accept her resignation on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025. Photo by James Short.
Court sets April 18 deadline
The vacant seat on Towamencin’s board of supervisors is now officially in the hands of the courts.
Township officials gave an update on the process to fill that vacancy Wednesday night, including a new deadline for anyone who’s interested in filling the seat.
“Anybody that has previously submitted — unfortunately, the court is asking for you to submit again, and follow their process, and direct it to their point of contact,” said township solicitor Bob Iannozzi.
The resignation came after former supervisor Laura Smith sparked an uproar by posting a now-deleted TikTok video mimicking an alleged Nazi salute in the manner of Elon Musk at the inauguration of President Donald Trump. The township announced Smith’s pending resignation on Jan. 26, and the board accepted the resignation in a special meeting on Feb. 4.
Supervisors said the deadline for board action to fill the vacancy would be within 30 days from the Feb. 4 resignation but in a March 4 special meeting, the board deadlocked on two nominations, both failing on 2-2 tie votes. The decision then moved to county court, and in late March the attorney said a court date had been set in early April to discuss the process.
That court conference was held on April 7 with county Judge Jeffrey Saltz, Iannozzi said on Wednesday night, before detailing what happened that day, and next steps.
“The judge asked certain questions as to process, what we had done to date to notify the public as to the vacancy, and then he informed us that it would not be him filling the vacancy, but rather a group of commissioned judges,” he said.
That group of judges will review applications from those who apply, and will appoint a supervisor to fill the position on an interim basis for the rest of what had been Smith’s term, “which is effectively Dec. 31st of this year,” the attorney said.
A press release was issued by the county on Monday and publicized by the township, spelling out next steps: any resident interested in filling the seat must submit an application by Friday, April 18 to the county court, “and will be expected to be available for interviews sometime thereafter,” Iannozzi said.
“That (interview) date has not been set yet. The judge was indicating that not all applicants may be interviewed. Those that will be interviewed, will likely be by way of an in-court, panel-style question and answer,” he said.
Residents interested in applying — including those who did apply before — must send a resume and cover letter with contact information to Michael R. Kehs, Esq., Court Administrator, P.O. Box 311, Courthouse, Norristown, PA 19404 or via email to Mike.Kehs@montgomerycountypa.gov, the attorney said.
No public comments were made on the vacancy or the process to fill it, and supervisor Kofi Osei closed the meeting by saying he thought going to the courts was “a waste.”
“I feel like, given the choices we had, it’s very weird that we’re going to the courts. I still think we could vote for at least one candidate,” he said.
“Of the current applicants, there are definitely three that I think represent something resembling a compromise, that I would be OK with. I would rather, even if we’re spending money either way, I’d rather appoint with a majority opinion than have the courts decide,” Osei said.
Towamencin’s supervisors next meet at 7 p.m. on April 23 at the township administration building, 1090 Troxel Road; for more information visit www.Towamencin.org.
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