The departure of longtime Salisbury Township Commissioner James Seagreaves is certain.

The swearing-in of Seagreaves’ successor in January 2022 is not so certain.

That’s because the Nov. 2 general election results have not been certified because of a dispute over the vote tally in a Lehigh County judicial race.

“I’m not stayin’ on,” Seagreaves joked good-naturedly at the Dec. 9 board of commissioners’ meeting when he was lauded by his peers with commendations, plaques and a buffet.

The county kerfuffle isn’t only possibly placing the Jan. 3, 2022 Salisbury Township board of commissioners’ reorganization meeting in limbo.

It’s also affecting, for example, the East Penn School Board where a former board member who had resigned agreed to stay on.

A nine-member school board potentially has more flexibility. Salisbury has five commissioners.

Longtime township resident Alex Karol, in his first run for public office, was elected in the Nov. 2 election to succeed Seagreaves in Ward 2.

Board of commissioners Vice President Rodney Conn was re-elected Nov. 2 to represent Ward 4.

Commissioner Alok Patnaik was re-elected Nov. 2 to represent Ward 5.

Board of commissioners President Deb Brinton, representing Ward 3 and Commissioner Heather Lipkin, representing Ward 1, were not up for re-election.

As of the deadline for this article, the elections of Conn, Patnaik and Karol, have not been certified. Therefore, they cannot take their oaths of office Jan. 3, 2022. Technically, the seats are open, even though the three were elected.

If the commissioners-elect cannot be sworn in, the township board will only have two members and will not be able to muster a quorum to vote on official business.

The county board of elections voted Nov. 22 to not certify election results pending an appeal of a decision to count 261 undated mail-in ballots. Judge Edward Reibman ruled Nov. 30 the mail-in ballots are valid.

David Ritter, a county judge candidate, appealed Reibman’s decision Dec. 1 to Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court. Ritter, a Republican, has a 74-vote lead over Zachary Cohen, a Democrat.

By law, county elected officials are to be sworn in the first week in January 2022.

“In 30 years, I haven’t run into this,” Salisbury Township Solicitor Atty. John W. Ashley said at the Dec. 9 meeting.

Ashley noted the terms of Conn, Patnaik and Seagreaves end Dec. 31.

“What happens if they’re not certified by then?” Conn asked.

“I’ll look into it and let you know,” Ashley said.

Commissioners voted 5-0 to approve a resolution lauding Seagreaves for his more than a decade on the board.

The resolution notes Seagreaves has been on the board of commissioners for 12 years and “has served with loyalty, ability, dedication and distinction.

“The exemplary conduct and sense of fairness he demonstrated in all his activities has been a positive influence in the growth and progress of our community.”

Seagreaves was recognized “as appreciation for his distinguished service.”

Brinton presented Seagreaves with two plaques. His wife Kristel attended the meeting. They’ve been married 30 years. They have two sons: Andrew, 26 and Trevor, 23.

Seagreaves is president pro tempore on the board.

He has been active as a township firefighter, as a vice president and captain of Eastern Salisbury Fire Company. He is now a volunteer with Lower Saucon Fire Rescue No. 16, Se-Wy-Co Station.

Seagreaves was active with Salisbury Youth Association as a baseball and basketball coach.

He is chief information officer for TRC Worldwide Engineering, Inc., Allentown, where he has worked for 35 years.

Kristel Seagreaves is a personal care administrator at Moravian Village of Bethlehem, where she has worked for 17 years.

Seagreaves thanked his colleagues in brief remarks:

“I just want to thank everybody for the day-in and day-out. I think we did a good job, despite what social media says.”

“You have always been the voice of reason, even when that was not always possible,” Brinton said to Seagreaves.