Five file for Washington County judge; others seeking row office, magistrate and council seats
Washington County Elections Office employee Melissa Smoody accepts nominating petitions Tuesday from Jon Kelly, a Chartiers Township resident who is running for Chartiers-Houston School Board, and Mary Kline of Canonsburg, who hopes to win a seat on Canon-McMillan School Board.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter District Judge James Ellis at work in Peters Township Tuesday.
After the hubbub of the 2016 presidential election, some may view the off-year elections of 2017 with a ho-hum.
Not Washington County Elections Director Larry Spahr, for whom the election cycle begins anew every year.
“We have to put all the petitions in order beginning tomorrow,” Spahr said as he surveyed a series of tabletop bins.
The zero hour for Democrats and Republicans to submit petitions arrived Tuesday afternoon, and along with a host of local offices, voters in Washington County will be nominating city and county candidates.
“It doesn’t seem there was as much activity for school directors like there usually was in the past,” he continued.
The Washington County elections office had a crush of candidates lining up Monday, giving the staff a breather as the deadline ticked down to its final minutes. And because this is an off-year for legislative races, the Department of State in Harrisburg expected to have a complete list of candidates by Tuesday evening.
Cross-filing for Washington County judge in the May 16 primary were Brandon Neuman, a state legislator from North Strabane Township; Assistant District Attorney Kristin Anne Klingerman of South Strabane Township; local attorney Charles E. Kurowski of Canton Township; and Phillippe Melograne of Peters Township, who was appointed to a 14-month vacancy on the Washington County bench in 2010 by then-Gov. Ed Rendell; and Joyce Hatfield-Wise of Amwell Township, the first full-time solicitor for the county Children and Youth Services agency. Only Hatfield-Wise’s Republican petitions appeared on the Department of State website Tuesday afternoon, but a Democratic petition was approved later with a 4:30 p.m. time stamp.
Debbie Bardella, incumbent Democratic recorder of deeds, has a challenger in James Roman, a Republican from Peters Township. He is an employee of Re/Max Premier Group, Washington Road, Upper St. Clair, who is also the sole owner of Jim Roman Group LLC at the agency.
Incumbent Sheriff Samuel Romano has no opposition on the Democratic ticket, but a Republican challenger has filed: David L. Criss of Fourth Street, Monongahela, who listed his occupation as “driver.”
Controller Michael Namie, who filed as the sole Democratic candidate, appears to have no opposition from either major party.
Voters in several magisterial districts will see candidates on their ballots, but one incumbent decided in the closing days of signature gathering not to run.
District Judge James Ellis, who oversees magisterial court matters in Peters, Nottingham and Union townships and Finleyville, announced Tuesday he would not seek re-election this year and is retiring after 30 years on the bench.
His announcement came at the 11th hour. Ellis is one of four Washington County district judges whose terms are up at year’s end.
Ellis, 62, thanked his family for their support, along with “special recognition” for the two campaign managers who were “instrumental” in getting him started three decades ago, the late Joe Femiani and Henry Hoffbauer.
He said he circulated nominating petitions and garnered more than 600 signatures, but decided not to file them by the deadline Tuesday because he was “ready to move on” after discussing it with his wife and children.
“It’s been a great honor, privilege and pleasure to serve the people of my community in this capacity and I am humbled that they have entrusted me with this position for 30 years,” he said.
Two candidates filed for the open seat this week: Jacob Machel of Robinhood Lane, a commercial real estate broker; and Ryan Welsch of Cidar Lane, an attorney. Both McMurray residents, they cross-filed.
At least two incumbent district judges have challengers.
District Judge Jay Weller is seeking a fourth, six-year term and nominations from both major parties in North and South Strabane and East Washington Borough. Also cross-filing in the magisterial district was Lawrence D. Fowler of Eighty Four, a state constable.
District Judge Mark Wilson of Monongahela, elected in 2005, cross-filed for re-election. An opponent, Peter Seth Hoosac of 425 Fourth Ave., New Eagle, listed himself on election documents as unemployed and having a little more than $50,000 in student loan debt with the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. Other than the two candidates’ home municipalities, the district includes Carroll Township and Donora.
Incumbent Magisterial District Judge Gary Havelka, who has been in office since the mid-1990s, appears at this point to be running unopposed. He cross-filed for an additional six-year term in the Burgettstown-Cross Creek area.
Two members of Washington city council are to be elected in November.
Incumbent Joe Manning is seeking re-election as the sole Democrat. A retired city firefighter, Manning, a resident of Duncan Avenue, listed on financial interest documents an affiliation with A/O Communications, 239 W. Pike St., Canonsburg.
Two Republicans are hoping to return to city council. They are Terry L. Faust of McKinley Avenue, president of HVAC Consultants Inc., who is also chairman of the Washington-East Washington Joint Authority, which owns and operates a municipal waste water treatment plant; and Matthew Staniszewski of Buttonwood Avenue, who is listed on the Homestead Borough website as interim borough manager.
Carla Nicolella Mast of Elm Street, a legislative assistant, is running for Washington treasurer on the Democratic ticket.
In Monongahela, Democrat William “Rusty” Polonoli of Stockdale Avenue, a plant technician, is seeking a council seat. A Monongahela constable, he is president of both Valley Inn Sportsman’s Association and Monongahela Fire Department.
G. Thomas Caudill of Stanton Street, Monongahela, is seeking nomination to a four-year council slot on the Democratic ballot. Director of accounts and finance for Monongahela, he listed his occupation as retired Ringgold High School principal and assistant to the superintendent. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Fairmont (W.Va.) State College and West Virginia University.
On the Republican ticket, Claudia J. Williams of West Main Street filed nominating petitions for city council. She is self-employed as the owner of CJ’s Furniture and is a board member of Aquatorium Innovations.
Councilman Alan Veliky did not file for re-election.
Incumbent Democrat Susan M. Bowers of Lawrence Street is seeking re-election as city controller. A retired teacher, she is co-owner of a Mon Valley business, Kumfy Kozies.
Assistant Editor Linda Ritzer and Regional Editor Mike Jones contributed to this story.