The Gettysburg Borough Council unanimously named Matthew Moon its president during the governing body’s biennial reorganization meeting on Tuesday. He succeeds Wesley Heyser, who did not seek re-election.
Councilperson Judith Butterfield will support Moon as council vice president. She succeeds Moon, who served as vice president last year.
Moon, a Democrat and San Francisco native, joined the council in 2020. In his opening remarks, he asked his colleagues to remember they were elected to serve their neighbors and asked them to support the staff who “work tirelessly to do the people’s work.” He encouraged the council to “look for every opportunity to protect our environment, water, and air, expand accessibility, and always foster equity and fairness.”
“We are planting the trees whose shade we will not enjoy, so think always about the Gettysburg of the future, and balance it with the Gettysburg of now and the past,” he said.
Moon’s vice president shares his passion for the environment. Butterfield, a Republican, has chaired the borough’s recycling programs for many years. She shared her excitement about recycling’s importance with her neighbors by writing many articles throughout the years. She also fought to have the borough recycling committee reinstated when a previous borough council president disbanded it.
Before joining the council, Butterfield was the borough’s volunteer webmaster during a time when municipal government websites were in their infancy.
New members
Mayor Rita Frealing administered the oath of office to Moon, returning council member Chad-Alan Carr, and new members Alisha Sanders and Peter Bales. Residents of Gettysburg’s Ward 2 elected Moon. Sanders was chosen by residents of Ward 3. Bales represents Ward 1. Carr ran at large and was on everyone’s ballots. All council members are tasked to make decisions that will affect every citizen of Gettysburg.
Honor
Heyser and former Councilman John Lawver didn’t stay away from the borough hall for long. Both men attended Tuesday’s meeting so Frealing could present them with ceremonial Keys to the Borough in honor of their work.
Featured image caption: Former Gettysburg Borough Council President Wesley Heyser, right, hands the gavel over to incoming President Matthew Moon. (Submitted Photo)
Alex J. Hayes has spent almost two decades in the Adams County news business. He is passionate about sharing stories focused on the people in our communities and following local governments in an age when few journalists report on their meetings. Alex is also a freelance writer for several other publications in South Central Pennsylvania. Alex encourages readers to contact him at ahayes83@gmail.com.