After careful review and discussion, the Berks County Board of Judges announced Tuesday that Lucine E. Sihelnik has been appointed to serve as Berks County’s newest County Commissioner.
Sihelnik was selected after the Board of Judges interviewed 12 applicants seeking to complete the unexpired term for Kevin Barnhardt, who resigned in January to become the County’s new Chief Operations Officer.
Sihelnik’s term will be effective upon the administration of the oath of office on Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 3:30 p.m., and will expire upon the swearing-in of the next duly elected Commissioner in January 2024. Sihelnik, 42, of Reading, does not intend to run for the position, which is on the ballot this year.
“The Board of Judges is appreciative of all the applicants who were willing to step into this important role and work for the good of the County,” President Judge M. Theresa Johnson said. “We wanted to select a candidate who was very involved in serving the community but was not planning to run in the upcoming election since we believe it is the right of the voters to choose their next County Commissioner.”
Sihelnik comes to the position after many years of public service. She served as a City Councilwoman for District 1 from 2018-2021, spending the last two years as Vice President.
Sihelnik is the co-founder of a Creamery on Penn Street and previously served as the Interim Executive Director & Food Systems Director for ReDesign Reading Community Development Corporation.
Sihelnik currently serves as an Alvernia Trustee, on The Friends of the Reading Hospital Board and on the Reading Muhlenberg CTC Occupational Advisory Committee.
“It is an honor to be selected and I’m very much looking forward to serving with my fellow Commissioners and continuing the good work on behalf of the County,” Sihelnik said. “I think serving as a County Commissioner is the ultimate call to public service and am honored to have the opportunity to serve our community in that capacity.”
