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Four candidates vie for three council-at-large seats in Struthers
Candidates share what they hope to accomplish if elected
STRUTHERS
City council will have at least two new faces after the May 7 primary and November general elections.
Two council at-large seats are opening up as Democrat Mike Patrick is running for mayor, and Democrat Joseph Rudzik is running for council president in the primary election.
There are four candidates running for the three at-large positions in the primary, including incumbent Democrat Councilman Dallas Bigley.
The newcomers, also Democrats, are Anthony Pastella, Megan Pingley and Jimmy Baluck.
Bigley said he wants to continue as a council member because there’s still work to do in the city. “The city still needs to move forward,” Bigley said.
Bigley wants to continue focusing on revitalizing downtown and bringing more business into the area.
In addition to attracting more business development, Bigley said he wants to continue fighting blight.
“I want to make sure the work we’re doing now is setting us up for the future,” Bigley said.
Pingley said she wants to run because she’s raising a 5-year-old son and wants to help move the city forward.
Pingley, a lifelong resident, said should she be elected, she hopes to address resident safety and blighted properties throughout the city.
Pingley said she would like to see ordinances pertaining to property maintenance tightened up.
She has been attending council meetings and caucuses for several months.
“I’ve been getting more involved in council over the last two years,” she said. “I think I’d be a good fit. I never turn away from a civil debate, and I’m open-minded and outspoken.”
Pingley has been a lead technician at CVS for 10 years and says her work experience has helped her develop leadership skills.
Baluck said he’s running because he wants to address issues he’s had with the city. He is a semi-retired mental health counselor.
Baluck said should he join council, he’d like to help pressure problem landlords to better maintain their properties and that he’d like to see more enforcement of city ordinances.
He also hopes to secure more training and resources for city first responders.
“I think everyone shares the opinion that if someone is coming to help us in an emergency, we’d like them to be well-trained and well-equipped,” Baluck said.
In addition to safety and property value issues, Baluck also wants to try to attract new businesses to Struthers, particularly to the Struthers Plaza and Youngstown-Poland Road.
Pastella said he wanted to run to make the city a better place for families and businesses, and stressed that residents’ voices mattered to him.
“I want to bring a fresh energy to the council,” Pastella said. “I have nothing but love for the city and the community that we share.”
He said he wants to ensure that the police and firefighters get a new station and equipment, and he wants to reduce the number of dilapidated buildings and homes in the area.
Pastella also said he wants to see new businesses downtown and at the plaza.
In addition to safety-service issues and business concerns, Pastella also said he’d like to see better communication between the city and the school board and sidewalks installed everywhere in the city to better accommodate students walking to school.