Leetsdale appoints new member to fill vacancy

Leetsdale has a new councilman.

James DeGori, 42, was appointed to fill the seat vacated by councilwoman Beth Carroll, who stepped down for personal reasons effective March 15.

Council accepted her resignation and shortly thereafter voted 4-1 to appoint DeGori on April 11.

Councilwoman Patricia Lee was absent.

Councilman Benjimen Frederick dissented, saying he was in favor of another candidate, former councilman Jeff Weatherby.

DeGori, a 2000 Quaker Valley High School graduate, will serve through the end of next year and would have to run in next November’s election if he wished to keep his seat.

“I’m really excited and looking forward to serving the community,” he said. “(I wanted) to improve the community and help people in the community, (have) more activities, improve the parks to bring more people in. I’m interested in all of it. I’m going to go where I’m needed.”

DeGori said he has not decided if we wants to be on the ballot.

“I’m going to see if I make a difference,” said DeGori, founder of landscaping business DeGori Lawncare. “If I don’t get anywhere with anything then there’s no sense of me running. My goal is for the people. If they want me to run, then I will run.”

DeGori also lauded Carroll’s service to the borough.

“She was really good at what she did,” he said.

The borough posted a notice about the pending vacancy on its website March 21.

Council had 30 days after accepting the resignation to appoint someone before the matter would go before Leetsdale’s vacancy board.

That board would have 15 days to appoint someone before a resident can petition Allegheny County Courts to have a judge name a new council person.

Council president Maria Napolitano said they decided to not waste time after having received three letters of interest for the vacancy.

Napolitano highlighted DeGori’s involvement in many borough event and council meetings and how he is the unofficial block captain of Washington Street, bringing those residents’ concerns to the borough’s attention.

“He’s active,” said council vice president Osman Awad. “He helps out whenever we need him to help out. He volunteers when we need him to volunteer. That’s what I want. I want people to work for the community. He’s not shy to tell you if you’re wrong. That’s what I like about him, too.”

Councilman Roger Nanni said he’s known the DeGori family for many years and expressed high hopes for the appointed councilman.

“He’s not just a one-trick pony,” Nanni said. “I believe he will represent his area and the while town in general.”

Carroll was the top vote-getter among the Democrats, including Awad and Lee, who ran for office in 2021.

DeGori is expected to be sworn in at next month’s meeting.

He did not participate in any votes April 11.