Burke, 57, was unanimously approved as New Hope's new borough manager at Tuesday night's meeting. He will start June 1, roughly 21/2 months after resigning his Middletown post March 9 in controversy after 20 years.

Middletown Supervisor Robert McMonagle and other sources have said Burke was essentially forced out after refusing to fire the township personnel officer. Other supervisors deny he was forced out, but along with Burke have declined to discuss specifics, citing a confidentiality clause in his severance agreement.

On Wednesday, Burke said he was looking forward to his new job.

"I think it will be extremely interesting," he said. "New Hope is an interesting and diverse community. It's like a small urban-type place with both residential and business components. There is a revitalization and redevelopment going on. I'm very appreciative of the council people selecting me."

Burke will have a salary of $80,000 a year. It will increase to $85,000 on Jan. 1 and after that will be determined by the council.

He replaces John Tegley, who retired in September after three years on the job. Tegley was making $64,000 a year when he left, said acting borough Manager Janell Hammond, who will return to her assistant manager position when Burke starts. Hammond will keep the $45,000 salary she was making as acting manager.

Burke's starting salary is far less than the $114,400 he was earning when he left Middletown. Under the terms of his severance agreement, he will continue getting that salary until Sept. 12, even though he has found a new job.

Councilman Randall Flager, a partner in the Bensalem law firm of Flager and Yockey, bubbled over with praise for Burke.

"We're ecstatic," he said. "This is like a baseball team picking up Barry Bonds for an undisclosed draft choice and a few dollars in cash. John Burke is one of the most highly qualified, most respected and most talented men we on council have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Middletown's loss is certainly our gain. This is nothing short of a coup."

Burke's hiring was approved by a 6-0 council vote Tuesday night with one member absent.

"We have tens of millions of dollars worth of private and public development going on in the borough," Flager said. "We're a small borough with a lot of the problems of a city because of the 10,000 to 15,000 tourists that visit us every weekend. Someone with John's wealth of experience to deal with these issues is very welcome."

Burke said he would stay at his Middletown townhouse and make the commute to New Hope, which has no requirement that the manager live in the borough.