Sunday
May 5, 2024 
Citing a big change coming soon in his personal life and other factors, Yardley Borough Council Member David Bria resigned from the position at the Aug. 16 meeting.
Bria, a Democrat first elected in 2017 and reelected in 2021, said he is getting ready to move out of the borough and, with his boyfriend, into a residence in Conshohocken. He had previously served as council president for two years, but in April had stepped away from that role because of increasing personal and professional responsibilities outside of council.
“It’s been an honor to serve on this council,” Bria said at the Aug. 16 meeting. “I’ve really enjoyed it and learned so much. There’s been the fair share of frustration, but I think that’s been more than made up for with the moments when we got it right.”
He urged council to be guardians against “far right” extremism, using as one example what he and many others consider a de facto book ban recently enacted in the Central Bucks School District.
“We live in deeply divided political and cultural times,” Bria said. “Council has to stand up for what is right and what is true.”
Council President Caroline Thompson and several other members praised Bria for his service, and Thompson presented him with a plaque honoring his accomplishments. Bria also received a proclamation of appreciation from Borough Police Chief Joseph D. Kelly III.
The remaining six council members will likely appoint Bria’s replacement sometime in the next month, and are scheduled to publicly interview applicants at the Sept. 6 meeting. Borough residents interested in filling the vacancy can email Manager Paula Johnson at pjohnson@yardleyboro.com.
Bria’s appointed replacement would serve through 2023 but would have to run and win in that year’s municipal election to retain the seat beyond 2023.
In other actions from the Aug. 16 meeting, council voted to accept from the borough’s Civil Service Commission a list of four candidates for full-time police officer vacancies. Kelly and the council will choose from among the four on the list to fill such vacancies that may occur over the next two years. One should soon be hired to fill the vacancy created when full-time Officer Joseph Harris resigned in May. All four on the list have passed written and physical exams and background checks, Kelly said.
Council also voted to award a three-year snow removal and salting contract to James B. Tomlinson that becomes effective in October and extends through the winter of 2024-2025. The Tomlinson firm had done a great job after stepping in for Effluent Retrieval Services in February, Johnson said. Under the new contract, Tomlinson will be paid $165 per hour and per vehicle in the first year, $172 the second year and $175 in the final year of the deal.
Also approved was the drafting of an update and advertising a new borough stormwater management ordinance. In addition, council voted to delay voting on awarding a bid for the Mary Yardley Bridge replacement until the Sept. 6 meeting, and to reject bids and re-bid the elevation of structures at 81 and 93 N. Delaware Ave. after low bids came in higher than the funds allocated for each project.
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