State College Mayor Ron Filippelli and former Councilwoman Cathy Dauler will seek seats on the Borough Council in this year’s election, according to a joint statement issued Friday.

In their release, both said they’ll run as a team on the Democratic ballot in May’s primary.

Filippelli was appointed mayor in December 2019 to serve the remainder of Don Hahn’s term, who was elected district judge. He previously served two terms on the council from 2006 through 2013. Additionally, he spent one term as council president.

Dauler, meanwhile, has served four total terms on the council, including consecutive terms from 2000 through 2007 and from 2012 through 2019. She spent two years as council president.

In a joint statement, Filippelli and Dauler said they chose to run while the borough faces “perhaps the most difficult period” in its history.

“Last year at this time, neither of us had any intention to run for office again, but the events of the last 12 months have convinced us of the need for experienced, competent leaders who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the welfare of the borough and its citizens over many years,” Filippelli said in a statement.

Dauler, meanwhile, said State College faces three significant crises: COVID-19’s impact on borough finances, the pandemic’s effects on local businesses, and “and attacks on borough leaders over the borough’s response to the [Osaze] Osagie tragedy.”

Last month, Filippelli and Borough Manager Tom Fountaine issued a statement saying a complaint included in an Osagie family lawsuit “contains false claims, and half-truths, while also leaving out critical facts and context.” Local advocacy groups, namely the 3/20 Coalition, have been highly critical of the borough’s response to Osagie’s March 2019 death.

Although he currently serves in the role, Filippelli doesn’t plan on running for mayor again. Democrat Ezra Nanes is the only candidate who’s announced a candidacy for the race so far.

Three borough council seats are up for election this fall. Evan Myers and Theresa Lafer, who currently serve, are term-limited and can’t run. The third seat is held by Katherine Yeaple, who was appointed to fill the remaining term of former Councilman Dan Murphy, who resigned over the summer.

Borough residents are limited to two consecutive four-year terms on the council. However, State College’s home charter rule doesn’t limit how many terms members can serve.

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StateCollege.com’s Geoff Rushton contributed to this post.