Two candidates, including the incumbent, are squaring off for Bethel Park mayor

Jack Allen

Republican

Age: 73

Education: BS, University of Pittsburgh

Occupation: Retired

Community involvement: Mayor, 12 years; council member, 16 years; past commander, American Legion Post 760; chairman, Veterans Memorial committee

Years residing in municipality: 38

With state funding often limited, how would you balance the need for new projects or services with the responsibility to keep taxes manageable?

It’s always about finding a healthy balance. We need to continue offering the services our residents deserve – from public safety and recreation to infrastructure and community programs – while being mindful that many people in our community are on fixed incomes. Every decision we make should consider both sides: maintaining the quality of life that makes Bethel Park such a great place to live and managing costs responsibly. That means looking for efficiencies, pursuing grants and partnering where we can, so we can keep moving forward without placing additional strain on taxpayers.

What would you like to do as far as encouraging more residents to get involved with events, activities and programs offered by the municipality?

Community involvement starts with connection and leadership. When residents see their local leaders and neighbors out at events, lending a hand and having fun together, it inspires others to do the same. I want people to feel that their participation truly matters, whether it’s volunteering for an event, joining a committee or simply showing up to support a community program. By communicating more clearly, celebrating involvement and continuing to offer events that bring people together, we can strengthen that sense of pride and belonging that makes Bethel Park such a great place to live.

Jon Lloyd

Democrat

Age: 44

Education: Undergraduate, music performance, University of North Carolina; master’s coursework, organizational leadership, Trinity International University

Occupation: IT services manager for Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio for Ford Office Technologies; also a private chef with a full-scale chef/catering business

Community involvement/volunteer work: Served as secretary, vice president and president of the Bethel Park Music Boosters; volunteered to teach cooking classes in the area, including at Bethel Park High School; played trumpet as a part of the Community Band South; hosted fundraisers to benefit local organizations such as SHIM; participated in numerous community events such as Community Day and events hosted by the Lions Club; recently, helped with the launch of a local nonprofit dedicated to empowering students to pursue post-high school careers in technology

Years residing in municipality: 11

With state funding often limited, how would you balance the need for new projects or services with the responsibility to keep taxes manageable?

I believe in prioritizing initiatives that provide the greatest long-term benefit to residents while seeking every available grant or partnership before turning to tax increases. Careful budgeting, phased implementation and collaboration with local, county and state partners can stretch limited resources further. I also support finding efficiencies within existing services to reduce costs without reducing quality. Ultimately, responsible leadership means ensuring that every dollar spent reflects the community’s priorities and enhances quality of life without placing an unnecessary burden on taxpayers.

What would you like to do as far as encouraging more residents to get involved with events, activities and programs offered by the municipality?

I would work with established event organizers to brainstorm ways that their events could be more broadly appealing. I would increase the visibility of events by leveraging social media platforms that aren’t currently in use. I would also use commission groups to help prepare new and exciting events rather than simply relying on only doing things we’ve always done. We have several wonderful events that happen annually, but I believe we need more events that will bring more of our community together. I would also work with the Bethel Park Community Center to help broaden programming that is attractive to young adults and teens, and work to make our existing facilities and programming cater more to what our community is actually asking to have. I would work with our council to help adopt a mindset that is geared toward the growth of our municipality with more young families moving to the community.

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