Longtime Westmoreland transit board chairman Frank Tosto Jr. passed over for reappointment

Republican Westmoreland County commissioners on Thursday replaced longtime Westmoreland County Transit Authority board member Frank Tosto Jr., saying it was time for change on the board that oversees public transportation.

“Nobody is to be on a board forever. Yes, he has knowledge and experience, but the board, as a recommendation, asked us to find new blood,” said commissioners Chairman Sean Kertes. “The board as a whole, many members have asked for a new individual.”

Tosto, 67, of New Kensington first joined the transit authority board in 1999. For the past year, he continued to serve even after his five-year term ended in 2023. He remained board chairman until last month, when the board ousted him from that role and replaced him with longtime member Tony Lizza of Scottdale.

Tosto said Thursday he was surprised by both his ouster as chairman and from the board, itself. He said he wants to remain a member of the transit authority board.

“It was time, I guess,” Tosto said. “I was there a long time, and I believe I was there because I was committed to integrity and maintaining positivity. It was my intention to stay on that board, and I am real proud of what we accomplished.”

Under Tosto’s chairmanship, the board oversaw major changes to the transit authority, including a transition from contracting out its bus services to using private operators to direct management of all operations, construction of two new service garages, conversion to natural gas fuel for many of its vehicles and, most recently, building an expanded maintenance center in Hempfield for the authority’s fleet of more than 40 commuter buses.

Transit Authority Executive Director Alan Blahovec said Tosto was instrumental in the agency’s accomplishments over the past two decades.

“I appreciate all of his time and effort over these years. We’re going to miss him,” Blahovec said.

Tosto was replaced on the transit board by Roy Bodnar of Hempfield. Bodnar owns Robokyo Japanese Steakhouse.

Kertes and his fellow Republican commissioner, Doug Chew, also voted to reappoint Debbie Irwin to the transit authority board and Joseph Dalfonso to the housing authority board.

The board added former county purchasing director and current Hempfield Area School Board President Jerry Radebaugh to the housing authority board to replace former Chairman Dan Wukich, who resigned late last year.

Commissioner Ted Kopas voted against the slate of appointments, citing concerns over procedural issues. Kopas said the appointments were added to the commissioners’ agenda Wednesday morning, a day after the commissioners convened a public meeting to review items to be considered for votes.

“I can’t in good conscience vote on appointments put on the agenda seconds before the statutory deadline and without my knowledge or any conversation. It’s a (expletive) way to do business,” said Kopas, the lone Democrat on the board. “This isn’t about Bodnar, Tosto; it is about good government.”

Chew said Kopas’ management style led to his exclusion from the decision-making.

“Ted’s method of doing business is to basically bully everybody, so it is easier to put things on at the last minute to avoid all of that,” Chew said. “Read whatever you want into that.”

Kopas responded: “It’s a shame Doug Chew is too soft to handle hard truth.”