A special public meeting was held Tuesday night at the Warminster administration building as the four members of the township Board of Supervisors met with 13 candidates who applied for the empty seat left vacant by Ellen Jarvis' resignation last month.

Each of the applicants were ushered into the meeting room, one at a time, and given 10 minutes to make a statement and answer the supervisors' questions. 

Chairperson Leo Quinn led the interviews with the same set of questions, including what attributes a supervisor should have, their own best qualities, one weak trait and what their decision process would be if presented with a vote to close a million-dollar budget deficit.

In what he admitted was a longshot bid, Jim Scott took the floor at the beginning of the evening and touted his experience on various township boards, including the zoning board and finance committee. Scott campaigned and lost to Mark McKee in the 2011 election for township supervisor. Faced with a 3-1 Republican majority, Scott knows his chances are slim, but felt the need to throw his hat in the ring.

"I think a good supervisor needs to have integrity and strong leadership," Scott told the supervisors. "I believe in good government that represents the taxpayers by providing ongoing services without increasing their burden."

Other hopeful candidates included Warminster Patch blogger and active community member Mary Alice Brancato, who counted her experience as a working mom with seven children as a crash course in budgeting finances and multi-tasking.

Also waiting their turn last night to make a case for their selection were Dan McPhillips, from the zoning board and finance and budget advisory committee, Peter Pietrangelo, Jr., a citizen advisor for the planning commission, and Greg Hucklebridge, president-elect of the Warminster Rotary Club and township liaison to the Centennial School Board.

The members of the board plan to have a final decision ready by Thursday's supervisors meeting.