Eastchester Councilwoman Vicki Ford (R) has returned to the Town Board after a two-month absence, during which she received a left hip replacement.

Ford, who had the operation on Jan. 4 at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, was present at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Town Board, where she spoke effusively of several upcoming events at the Eastchester Public Library.

Ford chose to have the procedure done in Minnesota partially because of the hospital’s reputation in joint replacements and also to visit with family there for the six weeks following the surgery during which she was not allowed to travel.

Ford was born and raised in St. Paul, Minn., and two of her grown children and their families live there presently. She came to New York in 1956 to attend Sarah Lawrence College and moved to Bronxville shortly after her graduation and marriage in 1960.

This year marks the beginning of Ford’s 17th year on the Eastchester Town Board, which coincides with her 50th anniversary of marriage to her husband Si.

“It’s great to be back, especially to see our projects at the public library,” said Ford, who added that she has six more months of gradual recovery ahead of her but that she is doing well.

At the December meeting of the board, Ford announced that she would be donating the first two months of her council salary to the town’s library.

“Particularly in this time of economic cutbacks,” said Ford after Tuesday’s meeting, “we needed to increase programs so people felt welcome to spend their time at our library.”

Now that she has returned, Ford said that her primary objective is to work for a replacement of the library’s heating/cooling system.