SCHERERVILLE | The Schererville Town Council convened Wednesday with a full board for the first time since last year.

The meeting began with the ceremonial swearing-in of Sharon Moore as the Ward 5 council representative. Moore officially took the seat Jan. 9 after a Republican caucus in which she was selected to complete the two years remaining on the Ward 5 term.

The seat belonged to Perry Ferrini, who died Dec. 13. Ferrini was president of the council at the time of his death and was about half of the way through his four-year term as councilman.

Moore most recently served on the Police Commission, which she joined at the start of 2009. She also served the past five years as secretary of the Pine Island Ridge Community Association. She is the first female council member in Schererville since the early 1990s.

She spent most of her working years in the steel industry, the last 22 at East Chicago-based Robinson Steel Co., Inc.

Moore said she is grateful for the opportunity to serve Schererville residents and promised she won't let them down.

Later in the meeting, the council accepted nominations to fill Moore's vacant seat on the Police Commission. The statute requires the seat be replaced with someone of the same party. In this case, a Republican.

Moore nominated Jeff Allred, and Councilman Rob Guetzloff nominated Werner Zacharias, who served 10 years on the town's Police Commission before resigning at the end of 2008.

Allred won the nomination 3-2, receiving support from Moore, Councilman Hal Slager and Council President Jerry Tippy, all of whom are Republicans. Guetzloff and Councilman Tom Schmitt, both Democrats, voted for Zacharias.

Allred said he has lived in Schererville for 18 years and is a U.S. Navy reservist. He is active in The Schererville Lions Club.