A veteran and a rookie will lead Northampton County Council over the next year.

In 5-4 votes that went strictly along party lines, council chose Peg Ferraro, a Republican, over Democrat Scott Parsons as its president during its reorganization meeting Jan. 6. They also elected Republican Glenn Geissinger as vice president over Democrat Ken Kraft.

No other business was conducted.

Ferraro has served on County Council between 1990-1997, and again from 2001 until now. In November's election, she was the top vote-getter and even had the support of Democrat Ken Kraft. In contrast, Geissinger never ran for office before last year.

After her election as president, Ferraro addressed her Democratic colleagues.

"I get it," she smiled. "Now the Republicans and Democrats must evaporate."

Ferraro, who has had her sights set on a council presidency for several years, admitted that it was a "big occasion for me." She then thanked numerous of the people who helped her along the way, including her parents, her deceased husband, a neighbor and deceased GOP Chair Charlie Roberts.

"He was my mentor," she said about Roberts.

Unfortunately, all of the people Ferraro thanked were Republicans, which upset Democrat Ken Kraft, who posted this complaint at social media site Facebook.

"It's amazing to me how people forget that an at large seat is only won when BOTH parties vote for you," Kraft posted. "Shame on you and your lopsided speech. You owe half the voters in Northampton County an apology … Welcome to partisan politics, NorCo."

A retired teacher, Ferraro resides in Bushkill Township. Geissinger, who owns Alliance Media Group, lives in Plainfield Township.