25-year-old Irwin council member brings ideas, but lacks support

Irwin Councilman Tyler Baum has hopes of bringing to life ideas spawned during an Ivy League education to his hometown.

Baum, 25, a Republican, said he’s been inspired by “Hillbilly Elegy” author and U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, won a seat on council in 2021 and became the borough’s youngest councilperson.

He’s since offered a flurry of proposals that have shaken up the typically mundane sessions of council.

Baum’s proposals for installing electric vehicle charging stations at Irwin Park, streaming council meetings online and adding customized picnic tables with solar panels to power internet access and to serve as charging stations have gotten a frosty reception in council chambers.

The idea to place vehicle charging stations in Irwin Park died in May for a lack of a second to his motion.

At the time, council President Rick Burdelski said charging stations are the function of private business such as those found at the Sheetz in North Huntingdon.

And the differences in what projects should be pursued was most evident at a council workshop session last week.

Baum’s idea to livestream the council meetings never got off the ground this spring, but it will be considered at a meeting on Wednesday.

If meetings were livestreamed, Councilman Frank Rossi said when the idea was initially presented, “you will have more people complaining.”

Baum proposed the borough direct its engineer to research any grants that might be available to pay for the picnic tables at Irwin Park that would be connected by a pole to solar power panels. It would allow for Internet access and charging stations for electronic devices.

Council agreed to consider the proposal at the Wednedsay session, but not before criticizing its merits.

While giving those working remotely a chance to do their job outdoors at the park, Baum said parents also could use the internet table while their children are playing baseball.

“Nobody’s interested,” said Councilwoman Leslie Savage. Parents are watching their children play baseball and would not be using their electronic devices, Savage said.

Baum disputed that no one is interested, saying numerous people and businesses support it. Savage, however, questioned who he was talking to because she had not heard similar sentiments expressed.

“There is a structural disdain for any out-of-the-box idea,” Baum said.

Burdelski disagreed that council has a “disdain” for such ideas but rather has concern about costs associated with the efforts, such as paying to repair damages from vandalism.

“This is happening time and time again. … Tons of things are dead on arrival,” Baum said.

While Savage, 54, has clashed with Baum over some of his proposals, she acknowledged that he comes to the meetings prepared and is ready with questions.

Savage sees the generation gap between Baum and others on council, but said there is more than just the age difference.

“What I am seeing is that he is attempting to make a name for himself,” Savage said.

While giving credit to Baum for having “great ideas,” Rossi, 64, said he lives in a neighborhood where people in their 60s, 70s and 80s reside, and they are not interested in electric vehicles or picnic tables with internet access.

“He’s probably ahead of his time. He’s got younger ideas,” Rossi said.

There are costs associated with the proposals Baum presented, even if the borough is able to get grants, Rossi said.

“I think that’s the biggest issue — the long-term costs,” Rossi said.

It is not a generation gap on council that is standing in the way of Baum’s proposals, but it is a matter of the costs associated with the proposed projects, said Burdelski, noting that Baum has proposed several good ideas.

“We just don’t have it in the budget,” so the borough has to seek grants, said Burdelski, 64, a retired information technology specialist.

Burdelski said he believes it is better for council members to build a consensus for a proposal, before presenting it in public and having the idea being rejected.

The disagreements over Baum’s proposals also can be attributed, in part, to life’s experiences that give an older person a different perspective than a young single adult, Burdelski said.

The November election will not bring significant change to the composition of council. Three members will be elected to four-year terms and only three candidates were on the Democratic and Republican ballots in the May primary. Councilman Shawn Stitely won the Democratic nomination and Burdelski won the Republican nomination, along with Nick Powanda.

Community background

Baum remains passionate about encouraging the next generation of Irwin to return to their hometown after college. He founded the Irwin Junior Councilperson Program in 2022, which allows juniors and seniors at Irwin to sit in on meetings and learn more about local government through a two-year program.

Baum is a 2016 graduate of the cyber school K12 International Academy. He went to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, where he earned a degree in government and public policy. He is a private equity associate at Continuim Equity Partners in Pittsburgh.

A lieutenant of the Irwin Volunteer Fire Department, board member of Fight the Blight, a not-for-profit group focused on aiding home owners unable to maintain their properties, he is also member of the board of trustees for Westmoreland County Community College.

“One way to try and engage and retain young people is to get them more involved and more active while they’re in high school,” Baum said.

Kris Cardiff, 46, council president of Trafford, helped Baum build Irwin’s program.

“Tyler had reached out to me and was interested in starting his own junior council person program in Irwin and I offered to assist him with that,” Cardiff said. “It was a program that I had been developing for two years. I provided that program for him to use at Irwin Borough.”

Rosanne Novotnak, Norwin Chamber of Commerce president, notes Baum’s passion for the community.

“He supports everything he can, attends as many events as he can and is very committed to the community he serves and lives in,” Novotnak said.

Sean Kertes, 36-year-old chairman of the Westmoreland County commissioners, admires Baum as a fellow younger member of local government. He believes it’s important to have a “fresh set of eyes” to challenge fellow board members.

“As long as you’re not losing money or hurting the community, it’s always good to try new and different things to help move the area you represent forward,” Kertes said.

Kertes empathizes with Baum’s dashed effort to apply for the state grant that would have partially funded electric vehicle charging stations in Irwin. He recognizes the difficulty in changing the status quo.

“To have someone that went to Dartmouth College that wants to be an elected official — I commend him immensely,” Kertes said. “Most people would move out of here and go find a job somewhere else.”

Baum isn’t discouraged by the setbacks and plans to continue pursuing ideas.

“I think there is sometimes pushback on these broader, more strategic projects rather than just focusing on executing the day-to-day or six-months-away projects,” Baum said. “I’m trying to learn from all the experience on council how we can bridge the gap and work together to make these things happen and also do it more expediently.”