Departing mayor accepts state job

NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Departing Mayor Timothy Fulkerson has accepted a job with a newly revamped state program.
Fulkerson, who leaves office at the end of December, said he will start work Dec. 1 for the Pennsylvania Department of General Services.
He will be a director in the procurement department. His job will entail traveling the state and working with local governments, school districts and council of government boards to get them to buy more goods from the state.
"This is something new. I'm excited about it. I needed a change," he said.
Fulkerson said he can continue as mayor of New Castle for his last 30 days in office and work for the state because his new job does not involve any policy making.
Mayor-elect Wayne Alexander takes office in January.
Fulkerson, who did not seek re-election, said he will work out of Harrisburg and plans to come home on weekends.
He said he hopes to be working out of one of the Pittsburgh offices of the Department of General Services by next summer.
An official announcement of his new position will be made soon by Gov. Ed Rendell, who is appointing him to the office.
Fulkerson, who is a Republican, said he met the Democratic governor when he was mayor of Philadelphia, and he fully supports Rendell now. The mayor was among a handful of Republicans who endorsed Rendell in his recent election.
"I think he's the right man for the job, and the Legislature has to wake up and see it, too," Fulkerson said. Rendell and state legislators are currently in a battle over the state budget that still has not been passed.
Fulkerson said he has fond memories of his two terms in office as mayor.
"I was never supposed to be here. A lot of people said a roofing contractor could never be a good mayor. It was going to be four [years] and out," Fulkerson said. "I was here for eight years, and I left on my own terms."
On running again
Fulkerson would not say if he would ever consider running for mayor again, but said he knew it was time to take a break.
"It's been a good ride. I've made some mistakes, but I believe I did a lot more good for this city than harm, and the city is a lot better off," he added.
cioffi@vindy.com