(8/15) After 15 years of service to the town, Commissioner Tim O’Donnell has decided not to seek re-election in the upcoming October election.

O’Donnell was first elected to the Town Council in 2009. In 2013, he was elected to serve as the Council’s president, a position he held off and on until last year, when he failed in his bid to continue in that role as his fellow council members opted for a change of leadership and handed the presidency to Commissioner Amy Boehman.

The decision to replace O’Donnell came on the heels of his failed bid to replace former Mayor Don Biggs in last year’s mayoral election, which Frank Davis won.

Over the years O’Donnell served as liaison to most of the Town’s commissions and advisory boards,

and currently serves as liaison to the Parks and Recreation Commission. O’Donnell, an avid cyclist, was the principal driver for the establishment and expansion of the bike trails in the town’s watershed.

With O’Donnell out of the race, his seat is now up for grabs in the upcoming Town election scheduled for October 1st.

The seats currently held by former Mayor and now current Commissioner Jim Hoover and Commissioner Cliff Sweeney are also up for grabs, but both have announced their intention to seek re-election.

Hoover was appointed to fill the remaining ten-month term of Commissioner Frank Davis by the Town Council following Davis’ election last year to be the town’s mayor. This was the second time Hoover has stepped forward to fill a vacant seat on the Council. The first time was in 2013 following the resignation of then Commissioner Glenn Blanchard.

In addition to "pitch hitting" as commissioner in 2013, Hoover previously served as a Town commissioner from 1998 until 2002 and as mayor from 2002 until 2011 when Hoover lost his bid for a third term to former Mayor Don Briggs.

During his term as mayor, Hoover focused his efforts on making the Town staff more responsible to the residents of the town and overhauling and rightsizing of the Town’s finances. Hoover currently serves as the Council Vice President. As Vice President, he has taken on the role of both statesman and mediator, working to find common ground to resolve many of the complex problems the Town is currently facing.

Sweeney has served on the Town Council for 29 years, making him the longest serving council member in the Town’s history. Sweeney, who lost his bid to remain as the Town’s treasurer to the newly elected Commissioner Valerie Turnquist, is the only member of the current Council who, contrary to long standing tradition, is not serving as a liaison to any of the Town’s many committees. In declining to serve as liaison, Sweeney said he spent his free time working with other non-government related organizations that he belonged to.

Individuals who wish to vie for one of the open seats on the Town Council must file a written application for candidacy with the town clerk no later than August 30 in order to appear on the ballots. Potential candidates who fail to file by the deadline can file to run as a write-in candidate.

Candidates must have resided in Emmitsburg for at least 30 days and be qualified voters. Commission members are compensated $4,000 annually. Candidates elected will be sworn-in and assume their position on the Town Council on October 7.