Borough councils and boards of township commissioners and supervisors elected officers as new terms began this week for members elected in November. Here's a roundup of some North municipal reorganizations and other government news:

Council on Tuesday chose council member Linda Woshner as its president and Jim Viscusi as vice president.

Both Ms. Woshner and Mr. Viscusi were approved by 5-3 votes. In each vote, outgoing council President Kathy Coder and Councilmen Mark Helbling and Mark Panichella voted against the appointment.

The change in council's leadership could signal a new direction for the ruling group, which has sometimes been bogged down with disputes among council members. Ms. Coder said that in addition to needing more time for her leadership consulting business, she was not running for the council president to help to create a better work environment on council.

"My becoming president seemed to divide council. My whole goal was to bring unity and help Bellevue," Ms. Coder said. "I am here for the town. Leadership is not a title. ... I can still do good for the town."

Ms. Coder joined council more than three years ago and served as president for the past three years. She has brought attention to Bellevue through her involvement with Bellevue Initiative for Growth, by helping the borough to join the county-led Allegheny Together main street revitalization program, and through other borough initiatives. She said her experience as council president has helped to inform her leadership consulting business.

As Ms. Coder's most vocal critic, Ms. Woshner has inherited the mantle of the person with whom she often butted heads. Ms. Woshner said she will scrutinize every aspect of council's duties to see if there are better ways to accomplish goals.

She said she intends to stop personal attacks among council members and to bring greater transparency to council, so that all members have the same information.

-- By Jonathan Barnes

Two incumbent supervisors were sworn into office at the annual reorganization meeting Tuesday.

Bruce Mazzoni and John Skorupan are beginning new six-year terms. Mr. Mazzoni came onto the board in 2006 while Mr. Skorupan began his tenure in 2000.

Mr. Mazzoni, who had been serving in 2011 as vice chairman, was named chairman of the five-person panel. Supervisor Mike Manipole was named vice chairman. Mr. Skorupan had been chairman last year.

The board meets most often at 6:30 p.m. on the first and last Thursday.

-- By Karen Kane

Two new council members, Sherry Neugebauer and Richard Dunlap, joined incumbents Victor Son, Peter Russ and Carl Montgomery in taking their oath of office Monday.

Mr. Son retained his position as council president, and Mr. Russ remains vice president.

Council's agenda and regular meeting dates will take place on the second and fourth Wednesday with the exception of December, when meetings will be on the 5th and 19th.

-- Jill Cueni-Cohen

Incumbent supervisor Jason Bragunier was sworn in for a new term Tuesday. Tom Madigan will continue to lead the group as its chairman, and Philip Troy was elected vice chairman.

Supervisors' regular meeting dates have been set for 7:15 p.m. the first Monday with the exception of September (first Tuesday). Continued meetings will take place at 7:15 on the second Monday, and agenda-setting meetings will take place on the last Monday with the exception of May (fifth Tuesday); and December (third Monday).

-- By Jill Cueni-Cohen

District Judge William Wagner administered the oath of office Tuesday to re-elected council members Cynthia Potter, Roger Krey, D. Lamar Oliver III and William McKim.

Robert Powers retained his position as council president, and Gerard Aufman is still vice president.

Council's regular meeting dates generally take place at 7:30 p.m. on the fourth Monday with the exception of May (May 21) and December (Dec. 17). Agenda setting meetings usually take place on the third Monday, or the week before the regular meeting.

-- By Jill Cueni-Cohen

Michael Dennehy was re-elected chairman and Phil Henry was re-elected vice chairman of the supervisors' board.

Cheryl Fischer was reappointed manager and assistant manager Scott Anderson emergency management coordinator. Numerous residents were reappointed to boards. There are two vacancies on the recreation subcommittee. Applicants should notify the township.

Meetings most often will remain the first and third Mondays.

• Officials are drafting an ordinance to regulate drilling in the township.

Larry Kurpakus, director of code enforcement, said the draft ordinance will be ready for the Feb. 13 planning commission meeting and the Feb. 21 supervisors' meeting.

Supervisors Chairman Michael Dennehy said the ordinance is a model from the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, and has already been adopted by most second class townships.

Natural gas compressor stations, processing plants and oil and gas well sites will be conditional uses, which are subject to public hearings and approvals by the planning commission and supervisors.

They will be allowed in the following zoning districts: S-1, special; B-1, rural business; C-1, community service center; and C-2, planned transition.

They are not permitted in any of the residential zones, or the greenways overlay, traditional village overlay, town center planned residential development or planned residential development districts.

Oil and gas wells must be more than 500 feet from any existing building that is not on the same property. Compression stations and processing plants must be more than 1,000 feet from existing buildings not on the same property.

• Supervisors approved a subdivision for the North Way Community Church Plan of Lots, which will allow the church to sell the lot for other uses.

"The church is getting out of land development and getting into spiritual development," said Chris Fitting, who represented the church at the meeting.

The church's property is tax exempt, but the lots that are sold will go on the tax rolls. Three other lots owned by the church have already been sold.

"Hopefully, they'll be speedily developed, which will enhance the township's and the church's coffers," Mr. Fitting added.

-- Sandy Trozzo

Grant Montgomery is the new commissioners chairman, and David Mikec is the new vice chairman. Mr. Montgomery was vice chairman last year. The former chairman, Daniel Kinross, lost his bid for re-election.

Wayne Jones was reappointed manager, Art Gazdik engineer and Bonnie Brimmeier solicitor. All appointments are for two years.

Commissioners also changed their meeting dates to the first and third Mondays, beginning Jan. 16. The change was made because Ms. Brimmeier has a conflict with another municipality she represents, Mr. Jones said.

-- Sandy Trozzo

November's election and Tuesday evening's reorganization left the Shaler Township Board of Commissioners looking, well, the same.

Families of the four re-elected commissioners applauded as District Judge Robert Dzvonick swore in Ed Duss, who began his 20th year on the board; David Shutter, his 24th. Susan Fisher, the first woman elected to the board in 2000, began her 12th, and Bill Cross, first elected in 1996, started his 16th.

"This is one of the nice things about this job," said Judge Dzvonick, who began his 18th year on the job, as he welcomed back the familiar faces.

After the swearing-in ceremony, Mr. Shutter was unanimously re-elected president. As he took back his seat that was briefly occupied by township solicitor Joseph Vogrin during the ceremony, Mr. Shutter stated: "I look forward to us working as a team again.

"You're just a heartbeat away," he joked when Mr. Cross was unanimously re-elected vice president.

-- Rita Michel

First Published: January 5, 2012, 5:00 a.m.