West Newton mayoral election: Veteran Popovich faces off against 1st time candidate Kepics

About 30 years separate the two candidates vying for the West Newton mayoral office, as veteran Mary Popovich and newcomer Robert Kepics compete for residents’ votes.

Popovich, 71, a Democrat, has served as mayor for 16 years. Kepics, 40, a Republican, is staging his first mayoral campaign.

Improving parks, planning for the borough’s future and bolstering the local business scene are among the candidates’ priorities.

Mary Popovich

Popovich formerly worked in the coal industry. After a work accident in 1998, she enrolled at PennWest California and earned a master’s degree. She taught in the university’s Health Sciences Department for 17 years.

Now, Popovich owns and operates Popovich Training Services, where she provides emergency medical training to those in the coal mining industry. She also volunteers with the Collinsburg Fire Company and Rostraver-West Newton Emergency Services, where she provides first aid to patients until an ambulance arrives.

West Newton’s first female mayor, Popovich grew up in the borough and has lived there the majority of her life.

“I love my community,” she said. “That’s what keeps me motivated. I’m seeing the changes.”

Borough officials have taken steps in recent years to address blight, improve outdoor spaces such as the 2nd Street Park, develop a sign ordinance and shift toward long-term planning, she said.

Popovich played a significant role in securing a mobile emergency operations trailer for the borough — which local emergency management crews can use to coordinate resources and help first responders during emergencies, she said.

If reelected, Popovich aims to expand upon those accomplishments. But her main priority is listening to and addressing residents’ needs.

“When you’re elected by the people, you work for the people,” she said. “You are not the boss of the people. You are there to listen and to try to problem solve and come up with a solution for the greatest good. And that’s the way I try to approach things.”

Robert Kepics

A sales leader for payroll management company Paychex, Kepics has lived in West Newton for 11 years. He has two children — a three-year-old and an elementary student in the Yough School District.

Kepics also is president of the Yough Soccer Association and has a decade of experience working in banking.

Kepics was inspired to run for mayor to make the borough a more desirable place for families.

The median age of a West Newton resident is 50 years old, according to U.S. Census data.

“What that means is the kids are leaving after they graduate high school or college and not coming back,” Kepics said. “I want to turn that around to make it a desired destination for families to want to be at.”

Kepics would like to start working toward that goal by installing soccer fields at Goehring Park, located along Sutersville Road, to support growing interest in the Yough Soccer Association. If elected, he also would organize more community events, such as movie nights.

“Right now, a lot of people don’t even know who other people are in the community, because it’s so isolated,” he said.

Kepics’ additional priorities include offering incentives to attract local business owners, creating blight enforcement measures and starting a free summer lunch program.

In Kepics’ view, West Newton is at a crossroads.

“Are we going to turn into another Mon Valley town that’s kind of falling off?” he said. “Or are we going to resurrect it and make it what it used to be? That’s a big thing for me.”

The election is Tuesday.