Lehighton can once again operate with a full slate of councilors.

Borough council on a 4-0 vote Monday appointed Jordyn Miller to the vacant council seat. Council members John Kreitz and Autumn Abelovsky were absent.

After the meeting, Miller said she was “really happy” for the appointment.

“I’m excited to work with council and learn from them,” Miller said. “I’m happy and excited what’s to come in 2025.”

Miller, whose background is in hydrology, said she previously served as a junior council member on council when she was in high school, and was born and raised in the community.

“I think what sparked my interest is the important decision-making; they do actually make big decisions,” Miller said. “I’m committed to hearing people out and showing up at the meetings.”

Miller’s appointment comes after council at a special meeting last month tabled the appointment of a new council member.

Councilwoman Becky Worthy, who made the motion Monday to appoint Miller to fill the vacant seat on council, cast the sole vote at last month’s special meeting in opposition of tabling the appointment.

Three candidates applied to fill the vacant seat: Kyle Elsasser, Joe Flickinger and Miller.

Flickinger had previously served nine years on council before he resigned in December 2022.

In his resignation letter, Flickinger cited a change in his employment obligations as the reason he chose to leave council.

Earlier on at last month’s special meeting, council accepted the resignation letter of former Councilman Ryan Saunders.

Saunders was officially sworn into office as the borough’s new mayor as part of a ceremony at the borough municipal building on Nov. 8.

At that time, borough solicitor Jim Nanovic swore in Saunders, who was joined by his wife, Tracie, and daughter, Nicole.

Upon taking his oath of office, Saunders pledged to fulfill the duties of his new position.

Earlier last month, borough council on a 3-1 vote, with one abstention, appointed Saunders to the vacant mayoral post.

Council member Grant Hunsicker was opposed, while Councilwoman Autumn Abelovsky abstained because the mayor is in charge of the police department, and she is married to police Chief Troy Abelovsky. Kreitz was absent from that meeting.

After that meeting, Hunsicker, who had been handling mayoral duties in the wake of the death of former Mayor Clark Ritter, 78, said he believes that council should have advertised to give others a chance to apply for the position.

Saunders, who had served on council for the past seven years, will fill Ritter’s term, which runs through 2025.

The appointment of Saunders, who was a sitting councilman, created an open seat on borough council, as well as on the Civil Service Commission.

On Monday, council accepted Worthy’s letter of interest for the Civil Service Commission.