by Trish Rudder
Town of Bath Councilman Tom Hall resigned his position on the town council recently to work full time at the Harpers Ferry Water Department to replace a water department member who died. Hall had been working there part time during his tenure as a councilman. Hall previously worked as Berkeley Springs’ water superintendent and held other positions with the town.
At the Bath Town Council meeting on Tuesday, June 4, Mayor Scott Merki announced that Hall’s resignation letter has been accepted.
Dave O’Connell, who ran for a council position last year, applied to replace Hall and was accepted unanimously by the council.
O’Connell said in his application letter that he received the highest number of votes of the unelected candidates when he ran for the council in 2023.
He has been a full time resident of the Town of Bath since 2017 and brings an analytical background that will benefit the town council in the financial area and general research, he wrote.
He is active with the Train Depot rehabilitation and is head of the Friends of the North Berkeley Rail Trail and is working toward rehabilitating the Beach Volley Ball court on Biser Street’s David Henry Memorial Park.
Town Recorder Susan Webster said O’Connell is a member of the Planning Commission, and assists on the Finance and Ordinance committees.
O’Connell will work on the Berkeley Springs Water Works and Cemetery committees as Hall did.
O’Connell was sworn in by Mayor Merki Tuesday night.