Latrobe appoints Long Island native with building code experience to fill council vacancy

A retiree whose work experience includes examining building plans and completing code reviews is now a new member of Latrobe’s city council.

Council members voted unanimously this week to appoint Lenor Rivera to serve on the panel through December 2027. She will complete the term of William Yuhaniak, who cited personal and family health reasons when he recently resigned.

Rivera was selected from a field of 13 applicants for the council seat.

She is originally from Long Island, where she performed building plan and code tasks for the town of Islip and then continued as a code consultant in Nassau County while joining the staff of an engineering firm. Previously, she operated a construction company with her husband.

Rivera, 63, said she expressed interest in the council vacancy because she felt her skill set could be of value to the city.

“If I can do something to serve and help in this area, I would like to do that,” she said. “That’s a great fit.”

As Latrobe officials look to address blighted properties in the city, Rivera noted she had a similar goal while serving in municipal positions on Long Island.

“I was often asked to liaison between property owners, developers, architects, engineers and attorneys, to help bring up to code antiquated buildings and try to get buildings up to usable status.”

In the process, she said, she researched New York building codes and their history.

Council member Dawn Vavick, who moved to appoint Rivera, said, “With her background and all the things she’s done in her life, we would be very fortunate to have her on board.”

Council member Ann Amatucci said Rivera’s experience interpreting building code language will be an asset for the city.

Rivera was sworn in to office by Mayor Eric Bartels and immediately took her seat.

She cited extensive experience working with nonprofit and humanitarian groups in the United States and abroad.

Rivera served as a construction director for the Habitat for Humanity nonprofit in New York’s Suffolk County.

She said that involved “acquiring sites that were mostly unbuildable and creating buildable sites out of them, then turning them over to my site supervisors to build (homes) with volunteers.”

Rivera said she’s worked with other nonprofits to help victims of human trafficking in Aruba and to promote an apprentice program in war-torn areas of Iraq — training residents there to work on restoring damaged homes so families could safely return to them.

In Latrobe, Rivera has volunteered with the Laurel Faith in Action nonprofit and the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store.

She relocated to Latrobe about four years ago to be close to her daughter’s family. She said she’d purchased a home and initially intended to maintain it for occasional use by family members. But she soon fell in love with the community and moved in full-time.

“I’ve just been incredibly impressed with the community here,” she said. She cited the warm welcome she got from her new neighbors on St. Clair Street and programs — like those of Faith in Action — that can help seniors stay in their homes.

Good response from community

Council members said they were pleasantly surprised to see so many people step forward looking to take on the vacant seat.

“I don’t think we’ve had 13 people apply for anything before,” Councilman Jim Kelley said.

“I’m overwhelmed by the response and the quality of the candidates,” Ralph Jenko said.

Jenko and Bartels encouraged those who weren’t selected for the appointment to consider running for one of the three council seats that will come up for election in 2027 or to consider applying to become part of one of several local boards appointed by council.

Among those who also applied for the vacancy were: former council member Robert Forish; Christine Marquis, who won the Democratic nomination for major in the May 20 primary and is set to face Republican incumbent Bartels in November; Jack Maher, a retired attorney who serves on the city’s zoning hearing board; Zack Fannie; Matthew Achtziger; John Hunter; Jim Star; Jessica Love; Zack Bowman; Jason White; Brenda Androstic; and Sarah Davis.