Burick takes oath as county commissioner
Apr. 4—Brian D. Burick's daughter wasn't born yet when he was sworn into office as a Lawrence County commissioner 27 years and two months ago.
Surrounded by his daughter, Faith, 18, his wife, Janice, and several other family members and friends Monday morning, it was like déjà vu for Burick as he stood at the front of a county courtroom and placed his left hand on a Bible and raised his right hand.
He took the oath of office once again, appointed as a county commissioner to fill the unexpired term of Morgan Boyd, who resigned from the post last month to accept a state government position in Harrisburg.
Burick had served as a commissioner for eight years previously, from 1996 to 2004.
The county's four common pleas judges — Dominick Motto, J. Craig Cox, John W. Hodge and David H. Acker, collectively appointed Burick to fill Boyd's seat for the rest of this year.
Meanwhile, through the regular voting process, three commissioners will be elected to begin new four-year terms in January.
"This board of judges took this appointment very seriously," President Judge Motto said, addressing those in the courtroom. He noted that while everyone who applied "had impressive qualifications" for the position, "we had to decide who was the best fit for Lawrence County. We unanimously agreed that Brian Burick is that person."
Motto noted that what impressed the judges the most was that Burick graduated in 1988 from the Academy for Excellence in County Government, a program sponsored by the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania.
County Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts Jodi Klabon-Esoldo administered the oath to Burick in a brief ceremony that included remarks from Motto.
Burick's first public meeting with Commissioners Dan Vogler and Loretta Spielvogel is at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the commissioners meeting room.
Burick and his wife, in addition to their daughter, also have a son, Joshua, who attends Grove City College in engineering and was unable to attend Monday's ceremony. They live on the city's North Hill.
