West Chester Mayor Herrin Formally Stepping Down Feb. 18

WEST CHESTER, PA — West Chester Borough Mayor Dianne Herrin will formally leave the office of mayor on Feb. 18 and chose this date in order to allow her position to be filled by appointment.

In the November 2020 election, Herrin was elected to serve as Pennsylvania State Representative for the 156th District, which includes West Chester Borough, East Goshen, parts of West Goshen, Westtown, Birmingham, and Thornbury townships. She won over Republican Len Iacona.

"I am very excited to be serving you in this new role," Herrin said in a statement this week. "I am still serving as the mayor of West Chester, and my plan is to leave the office of the mayor on Feb. 18, 2021."

Herrin explained why she ran for the state representative position. "Throughout my experience as mayor, I came to understand that public service is where I belong. It is challenging, and it is sometimes downright hard. Yet, it is a place where one can truly make a difference. I am honored to continue working for the people of the greater West Chester area in this expanded capacity."

After winning in November, she was sworn in on Jan. 5 and since then has held both offices. She said she has continued in both roles in order to support West Chester's new police chief in an understaffed department.

"I decided to serve temporarily in both roles — mayor and state representative — for one reason: I had unfinished business. I made a promise to the West Chester Borough residents when I took my oath as mayor, and I felt a deep and personal obligation to fulfill this promise. This included restaffing our understaffed police department so we can maintain our excellent level of public safety. In my view, there is nothing more important than public safety when it comes to municipal services. I made a promise to our new Police Chief I would not leave him so desperately understaffed during these times of crisis and challenge – and I meant it."

In the past few months, the West Chester Borough Police Department has hired four new officers. Herrin said she hopes to present the borough council will one more candidate for the department to replace recently retired Det. Corp. Scott Whiteside. She expects to do so at the Feb. 17 council meeting.

Herrin explained she will officially vacate the office of mayor on Feb. 18 in order to "give the people of West Chester Borough the most influence over the process."

According to the borough's code, an Interim Mayor must be elected or appointed to serve out my term through the end of 2021. The process depends on the date Herrin vacates the office, she explained.

"If I were to vacate the Office of Mayor before Feb. 17, this would trigger a special election in May for Interim Mayor. After this date, Borough Council is required to appoint the Interim Mayor."

She further explained, "On the surface, it may appear a special election is the most democratic process; however, it is not. In the special election, the voters do not decide the candidate. The political party does. That is, the 15 West Chester Borough Democratic committee people would choose one Democratic candidate to be on the ballot, and the three West Chester Borough Republican committee people would hand-pick a Republican candidate. Given the voting history of the borough, the Democratic candidate would be the likely winner."

Herrin said that the appointment process, instead, "creates opportunity for any Borough resident to apply for the Interim Mayor position regardless of political affiliation. The appointment process also gives all residents the opportunity to participate in the selection and interview process and to make their voices heard to their duly-elected Borough Council representatives. Our Borough Council representatives have been chosen by all Borough voters to represent them, and it is their duty to listen to their constituents. The appointment process is clearly more transparent and inclusive."

"Incidentally, if there were to be a special election for Interim Mayor, Borough Council would still be required to appoint an Interim Mayor to serve from mid-February until the May special election date. This creates potential for three different individuals to serve as Mayor over the course of 11 months. This would be highly disruptive to the WCPD and would severely limit the ability of any one of these individuals to effectively serve," said Herrin.

Herrin added, "It has been my sincere honor and pleasure to have served as your Mayor.
Thank you, West Chester!"