6 battle for 4 seats on Irwin council; 2 vie for mayor's seat

Irwin voters will decide Nov. 2 whether to give a younger generation a say in borough government.

Republican council members Ronald Romeo, 62; Frank Rossi Jr., 64; and Leslie Savage, 52, are running for reelection on the GOP ticket, along with Tyler Baum, 23, who won a spot on the GOP ballot and a write-in campaign on the Democratic ballot in his first bid for office. Democrats Nicholas Powanda, 35, and Courtney Khalouf-Rahuba, 18, also are running for council for the first time. All seats carry a four-year term.

The new council will oversee a borough government that has undergone a change in managers the past four years, a new police chief, a larger police force and the recent transfer of borough property at the former Sixth Street School to the Irwin Volunteer Fire Department for a new, expanded fire hall and ambulance base.

Rossi, a truck driver, said he believes the borough has made progress in the past four years, increasing the size of the police department and increasing the pay, so the department is not always training officers who move on to other municipalities.

Rossi, seeking his second term, said council has been able to work well together and resolve issues.

Savage, an accountant who also is seeking a second term, said council has been able to hire good people: manager, Shari Martino; assistant manager, Stacey Santimyer; and a new police chief, Dan Wensel.

Savage noted she has gained experience in negotiating the contracts with the police department and public works employees. The borough has developed a solid budget and has been able to purchase new police vehicles, she said.

Savage said she wants to see the borough enforce its quality of life ordinance and tackle blight.

Baum, who works in corporate strategy and acquisition for an international titanium corporation, said he returned to Irwin after graduating from college because he wanted to contribute to his community.

“I want to bring a young voice on council,” said Baum, who is a member of the Irwin fire department.

He said he wants to make sure “youth are engaged and have a safe place to participate in recreation.”

A member of the borough’s zoning hearing board, Baum said he wants to make sure first responders have sufficient resources.

Khalouf-Rahuba, a 2021 Norwin graduate and a student at the Community College of Allegheny County, said she wanted to get involved in local government because “I felt like the younger generation was not represented in Irwin (government) at the moment.”

Although Irwin is not required to recycle because of is small population, Khalouf-Rahuba said she would like to see the borough offer optional recycling. Khalouf-Rahuba said she also is in favor of creating a community garden.

Powanda, a paid firefighter for the Allegheny County Airport Authority and McKeesport, said he believes it is time for a change in local government and he wants to be more involved.

“It’s time to get younger blood (on council), to get a different perspective,” said Powanda, who has been a member of the Irwin Volunteer Fire Department for about 15 years.

Romeo could not be reached for comment.

Mayor’s race

In the race for mayor, two registered Republicans — Gail Macioce, 68, and Jeffrey Clem, 62 — are seeking to replace William Hawley, who decided not to run for reelection.

Clem is on the Republican ticket, and Macioce is running on the Democratic ballot. Macioce ran a write-in campaign for mayor on both ballots but won only on the Democratic ticket.

The mayor oversees the police department and votes only in the case of a tie on an issue before council.

Clem, who unsuccessfully sought a seat on council in the 2019 election, is a retired state prison guard. He said his experience as a guard and as a military police officer would serve him well in the role of mayor.

“I have the background for the job,” Clem said.

Clem said he would want the police department to obtain body cameras through grant money.

Macioce, a retired financial adviser, decided not to run for a fourth term on council. She has been supportive of The Lamp Theatre renovations and the streetscape project to beautify downtown Irwin.

She said she has supported the police department and voted to hire Wensel and more officers. She said she will work with the chief to maintain the quality of the police force. sent a