Centre County Commissioner Michael Pipe to resign, take job with PA Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro
A Centre County commissioner will join the administration of the newly elected Pennsylvania governor.
Michael Pipe, a Democrat who has been on the board of commissioners since 2012 and chair since 2016, will take a job with Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro, according to a press release Thursday from the transition team. He will be deputy chief of staff for public safety.
“I’m humbled by the confidence and trust that Governor-Elect Shapiro and incoming Chief of Staff (Dana) Fritz have extended to me with this appointment,” Pipe wrote in a text message. He said he would submit his letter of resignation to Centre County President Judge Pamela Ruest by the end of the day Thursday, effective Jan. 14.
“I will be forever grateful to the residents of Centre County for their support over the past eleven years. I will have more thanks and appreciations to share at the upcoming public meetings for the Board of Commissioners,” Pipe wrote.
Commissioner Mark Higgins, who currently serves as the vice chair of the board, will become chair when Pipe resigns.
“The Centre County Democratic Party leadership is aware and are working with incoming Commissioner Chairman Higgins and President Judge Ruest to recommend a candidate,” Pipe wrote. The county code states that in the instance of a vacancy in the office of county commissioners, the unexpired term will be filled by the county’s court of common pleas by the appointment of a registered elector of the county. That person will be a member of the same political party as the commissioner who is being replaced.
Pipe is one of six deputy chiefs of staff appointed Thursday; the release stated they will all “bring decades of experience” to the table.
“The Deputy Chiefs of Staff will serve key roles in Governor-Elect Shapiro’s leadership team, and they will work directly with state agencies, stakeholders, government officials, and local communities all across Pennsylvania as they assist in advancing the Governor-Elect’s top priorities,” the release states.
Public safety has been a top priority for Pipe as commissioner, according to the release, and Shapiro’s team gave several examples of that priority in action. That includes when Pipe oversaw the multi-stage upgrade of the countywide 911 radio emergency communications system and expanded the regional emergency services training site for first responders and emergency personnel.
Pipe supported reforms “resulting in a 50% reduction in returning citizens at the Centre County Correctional Facility, and championed funding for the County’s Central Booking Center, which supports local law enforcement,” the release states.
Shapiro appointed these other deputy chiefs of staff:
- Joseph Lee, deputy chief of staff for administration and opportunity
- Lindsey Mauldin, deputy chief of staff for health and human services
- Danielle Okai, deputy chief of staff for economic development
- Sam Robinson, deputy chief of staff for consumers and the environment
- Tori Shriver, deputy chief of staff for education and workforce development
In the release, incoming Chief of Staff Dana Fritz said the Shapiro administration will “hit the ground running to streamline communication, operate nimbly, and get things done for Pennsylvanians” with the addition of these deputy chiefs of staff.
“Governor-Elect Shapiro and I are ready to get to work with this diverse and experienced group to build an economy that works for everyone, improve our schools to ensure our children receive a quality education, and make communities across the Commonwealth safer for our families,” Fritz wrote.
