Sewickley Township supervisor, challenger square off for Republican nomination

With a decision looming on what Sewickley Township should do with its closed recreation center in Herminie, Republicans will have a choice between an incumbent supervisor and a challenger in the May 16 primary.

Mark Petros, 59, chairman of the supervisors, will face Jon Turik, 57, of Herminie, the owner of an electric business, for the party’s nomination to run for a six-year term in the November election.

Nancy Bickus Neel, 70, a former member of the Yough School Board, is unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Supervisors haven’t decided whether to repair or demolish the township recreation center in the former Sewickley Township High School building. It was closed in early February after a gap was discovered in an exterior walland cracks were found in an interior wall housing the gymnasium.

An engineer estimated that it could cost between $250,000 and $300,000 to repair the building, Petros said.

The building also was home to the township library, which has since moved to the former municipal authority office in Herminie.

Petros said the township is consider using about $1.3 million it has from the sale of the municipal sewage authority to build a community/recreation center on property the municipality owns in Rillton, adjacent to the Rillton Volunteer Fire Department.

During his tenure, Petros said the supervisors have worked to reduce blight in the township, getting 10 dilapidated, vacant buildings demolished. He said the board has not raised taxes and was able to pave roads in the village of Hutchinson. The township was also able to purchase three new vehicles for the public works department.

Turik said he wants to promote growth in the community to keep young adults in the township. The township should use the proceeds from the sale of the sewage authority to build some type of center.

Turik was involved in a lengthy legal battle with Sewickley Township beginning in 2013 over the rezoning of his Herminie property. He eventually won the rezoning battle and a Dollar General store was built on the site.