Scott commissioners race has only 1 contested ward
Scott’s commissioners race has candidates in Wards 2, 4, 6, 7 and 8 – but according to the Allegheny County Office of Elections’ unofficial candidate list, only the Ward 4 race has multiple candidates. Samuel J. Dalfonso and Raymond J. Owens seek the seat that’s currently held by David Calabria.
The Ward 2 candidate is newcomer Brandon Edwards. Ward 6 only sees incumbent Michelle Sedlak on the ballot. Ward 7’s candidate is incumbent and current board vice president Nicholas Seibel. And in Ward 8, incumbent Angela Wateska is running unopposed.
Here are the Ward 4 candidates and their answers to the questions posed by Chartiers Valley monthly.
Samuel J. Dalfonso
Age: 32
Political party: Democrat
Education: Bachelor of Science in business administration from Duquesne University, Juris Doctor from University of Pittsburgh Law School
Occupation: Municipal solicitor
If elected, what are two short-term goals? Greater resident engagement. From the beginning of the pandemic until now, I’ve noticed more and more residents tuning into local government meetings. I think this is great and we must work to keep them not only engage but to get them involved. The more involved our residents are, the better our township can be.
I’d like to develop more relationships with neighboring community officials. Our neighbors likely share the same concerns and issues that we as Scott Township do. Many of these issues also cross municipal boundaries. There are a lot of opportunities for us to work together on projects that can benefit all of us. Scott is nestled in a great South Hills community with many vibrant communities.
If elected, what is one long-term goal? To work with the township and our staff on updating the comprehensive plan. It’s important to continue to check in with the long-range plans of the township to ensure we continue making the correct decisions as issues arise. Plans should always continue to evolve to take into account new factors and conditions.
The short-term goals mentioned above will be crucial in developing an updated comprehensive plan. We are elected by the residents, and without their input, the plan would not be successful. It would be wise to look at how our township connects to neighboring municipalities, many of our neighborhoods are intertwined and could present opportunities for joint projects to better our entire community.
How do you plan to communicate with constituents and involve them in the decision-making process? Any way that I can. I would continue the push the township has made in the last couple of years trying to get citizens engaged and involved. They’ve done great work making the meetings accessible online, which I think has led to many more residents tuning in. The administration updates the website with information frequently as well, with new and recent events, and is active on social media.
I hope to continue to talk face to face with people in the neighborhood about any issue they may have. Usually, it’s the residents who have a front-row seat to the problem or are somehow affected by it, so it is important to hear from them. However, people are busier than ever these days so I would communicate whichever way is convenient for them. Most importantly, I’m willing to listen.
Raymond Owens
Age: 56
Political party: Republican
Education: Chartiers Valley High School graduate, carpentry certification from Parkway Technical School
Occupation: Owner and operator of Owens Construction since 1988 (now part time), manager for Western Allegheny County Municipal Authority, which is the water authority for North Fayette
If elected, what are two short-term goals? My immediate intention would be to work as a cohesive board to benefit the best interests of the Scott community. I would seek to develop a better communication system between the township, PennDOT and Allegheny County for a more streamlined work environment between the entities that have assets in our community. I feel that my management position working in a municipal setting has given me the tools to add to the needs of the township. I have had to work with residents to alleviate issues while always looking to stay within budget restraints as well as dealing with the regulatory agencies that can be challenging.
If elected, what is one long-term goal? I would like to expand on my goals to include the possibility of having a contract with PennDOT and the county, for them to reimburse the township to take care of the snow removal on the state and county roads that are in the township. It has been my observation in the past that these roads are some of the last roads that are taken care of. One of the ways to allow the township to do this additional work without adding additional crew would be to have one or two larger dump trucks that would be able to take care of more road surfaces in less time.
How do you plan to communicate with constituents and involve them in the decision-making process? I would communicate to the residents through Facebook on Scott Township watchdogs, and once in office, I would start a Ward 4 community group page on Facebook, as well as communicate with residents via email at raymondowens@hotmail.com.
Katie Green is a TribLive deputy managing editor, overseeing features as well as the Trib's weekly and monthly community newspapers and websites. A former magazine editor, she's serious about coffee, is a proponent of the Oxford comma and enjoys tracing her family tree when she has the time. She can be reached at kgreen@triblive.com.
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