Change coming
Voters in Monessen, Donora and Charleroi were looking for change as they went to the polls in Tuesday’s primary election, and that’s exactly what they got as a number of newcomers toppled more experienced candidates in Democratic Party races for mayor and council.
In Monessen, Matt Shorraw, 26, toppled incumbent Louis Mavrakis, 79, 733-670 in the race for mayor. An assistant band director at Monessen High School and graduate student at California University of Pennsylvania, Shorraw said during his campaign that he will bring a “lot of energy and a new perspective” to the mayor’s office.
“Monessen has a lot of potential,” Shorraw added. “We need to collaborate with a lot of other communities while retaining our identity.”
“I tell it like it is,” said Mavrakis, a former United Steel Workers staff representative, during his campaign. Mavrakis gained a lot of publicity last year by arranging Donald Trump’s campaign stop in Monessen.
Mavrakis said he was proud of his work in arranging the stop and his record as mayor for the past four years, especially returning the city to fiscal solvency after it was $13.5 million in debt when he took over as mayor in 2013.
After the election, Mavrakis said he was glad that he had fulfilled the promises he made when he first ran for mayor.
“I feel very, very good,” the mayor said Wednesday. “I have the weight of the world off my shoulders.”
Meanwhile, in Charleroi, James “Jim” McDonough II, 44, an ironworker with Iron Workers Local Union No. 3 in Pittsburgh and a businessman, won in his first run for public office by beating two members of borough council for mayor.
McDonough garnered 358 votes, while John Conger, 70, and Dennis Gutierrez, 64, collected 313 and 35 votes, respectively.
McDonough said it was time for change in Donora, noting the borough has to take a more positive attitude toward bringing in new businesses.
Newcomers also won elections to borough council with Yancey Taylor, Cynthia Brice, Michael McDowell and P. Jane Ackerman edging out incumbents Dale Shawley Jr. and Jimmie Coulter.
“The Home of Champions is going to come back, and we’re going to do it the Donora way,” said Taylor, who was the leading vote-getter in the race.
The trend continued in Charleroi with councilman Edward Bryner beating former mayor Nancy Ellis, 169-154. Ellis had served as mayor from 2010 to 2014.
She was succeeded by Terrence Newstrom, who decided not to seek re-election.
Two incumbents, Frank Paterra and Paul Pivovarnik also lost in the race for borough council. They were defeated by newcomers Jody Doerfler Cheplic, Jeannine Lofink Motycki and Heidi Cramer. Larry Celashi was the only incumbent to win.
So, the candidates will go on to the November general election where they will be heavy favorites as no Republicans ran for mayor or council in the three municipalities.
But then the real work will start next January when the candidates take office and have to start making good on their promises for change.