Mark Saginario, Bath Borough Council president for the past seven years and seven months, has vacated the role as of this month. He cited an employment change - “a new career with a new company” - as the reason for his decision.

The role of president is time consuming, Saginario said, adding, at this time, he needs to place more focus on his new job.

“The job pays the bills,” he added.

He further said he does plan to seek re-election to Bath council in two years and is mulling over a possible run for Northampton County Council.

“I did not plan on accepting the role of president in January 2022 because of self-imposed term limits,” Saginario said.

He said he felt seven-plus years as president is enough and wants to allow someone else to take the role.

Saginario presided over several important initiatives in Bath that required steady leadership since becoming council president. Debatably, the most important decision and change in Bath in decades occurred in 2018 with the decision to remove Colonial Regional Police Department services to Bath and replace that department with Pennsylvania State Police.

Saginario, as president, led council and the community through the successful transition to the state police services. The change continues to save and has saved Bath taxpayers well over a million dollars to date.

As the former borough office building, housed in the former school at 215 E. Main St., began to deteriorate, costing taxpayers thousands of dollars in repairs, Saginario presided over the transition out of the compromised building to a refurbished new borough building.

He also presided over the sale of the former borough building.

He was instrumental in coordinating a large volunteer effort that saved the borough thousands of dollars to refurbish the former Thirst Quenchers building, formerly located at 121 S. Walnut St. Post- renovation of the building became the current Bath Borough Hall.

Except for a tax hike in his first year as president, Saginario presided over a six-year period where there were no tax hikes in Bath. He was fastidious in how he approached the borough budget, always requesting council budget talks begin as early as possible.

Ever an advocate of transparent government, as president, he held an agenda item at council meetings called the courtesy of the floor, whereby he would ask each council meeting attendee, whether in person or viewing virtually, if they had any input for the meeting.

“Mark has dedicated himself to the borough of Bath for a very long time. His commitment spans years. I am grateful for all he’s done and I’m sure will continue to do,” Bath Mayor Fiorella Reginelli-Mirabito said.

Saginario said his most important achievements were “bringing council together to act as one and not seven individuals. We created an entire new administration team revamping internal processes and administration operations.”

Michele Ehrgott was elected as the new Bath council president, and Barry Fenstermaker was elected as council vice president.