Three years after former Crafton Councilman Mike Crown lost a bid for re-election, he is back on council.

Four candidates had sought to fill the council vacancy created with the sudden resignation this month of Bill Ogden, and council voted 4-3 Nov. 12 to choose Mr. Crown.

It was Mr. Odgen, a local businessman and Republican, who defeated Mr. Crown, an incumbent Democrat, for the 1st Ward seat by a 279-160 vote three years ago.

Mr. Crown and Jeff Aiello received council nominations to fill the vacancy, which also was sought by Ed Doherty Jr. and Betsy Martin.

Council members Jim Bloom, Jack Donovan, Mary Luxbacher and Debbie Sappie voted for Mr. Crown, while council members Dan Cindric, Tom Byers and Susan Viola voted for Mr. Aiello. Council President Jim Christman was absent.

In April, Councilwoman Nancy Koerbel, who was re-elected to a four-year term last year and was council president, resigned and Mary Luxbacher was appointed to the vacancy.

The resignations of Ms. Koerbel and Mr. Ogden were attributed to personal reasons.

Resignations also have rocked the borough's administration, with longtime borough secretary Patricia Kozlowski and three of the borough's managers quitting unexpectedly.

Mr. Crown, who is president of the borough's volunteer fire department, had been critical of the delays and reluctance by some council members concerning the purchase of a new fire truck, which was approved last month by a 5-3 vote.

Mr. Crown was unavailable for comment on his selection to fill the vacancy on the nine-member council.

To accept the seat, he had to relinquish the position of borough tax collector because a person can't hold two elected positions at the same time.

Following his defeat in the November 2005 election, Mr. Crown was elected as the tax collector by eight write-in votes. Former tax collector Karen Cheke-Dadey had chosen not to seek re-election and no other candidates were on the ballot.