Supervisor-elect tapped to fill vacant seat on Hempfield board

A vacant Hempfield supervisor seat set to expire at the end of the year will be filled by a supervisor-elect whose six year term starts Jan. 1.

Bill Bretz, who ran unopposed in the Nov. 2 election, was unanimously appointed to fill the term that ends Dec. 31.

“About five years ago, I started being a regular attendee at these meetings and became engaged with the group here,” he said. “They’ve given me the opportunity to be on a few different commissions. It’s culminated in me being called up here a few months early to start serving the term I was elected to, and I look forward to serving the people of Hempfield Township.”

Several changes were made to the board over the past few months after former Supervisor Rob Ritson resigned, citing increased demands from his job as chief of staff for Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward, R-Hempfield. Supervisor John Silvis, who did not seek reelection, expressed interest in filling the remaining two years of Ritson’s term.

To be appointed, Silvis had to resign from the board. Supervisors in October accepted the resignation and appointed him to the position. That left the remaining two months of Silvis’s term vacant.

Bretz, a service production coordinator at ABB in South Greensburg, has held several positions within the community, including a seat on the township planning commission and public safety committee. He is chairman of the Westmoreland County Republican Committee. His wife, Jennifer, is a Hempfield Area School Board member.

Bretzupset a former township supervisor in the primary election. Election results show he received almost 8,480 votes in November.

“I thank you for adding me to the roster a little bit early here and I do look forward to the next six years and two months,” Bretz said.