Primary preview: Wilkes-Barre City Council
May 14—WILKES-BARRE — There are nine candidates for Wilkes-Barre City Council in Tuesday's Primary Election.
Three incumbent city council members will seek re-election in 2023 — Chairman Mike Belusko in District A; Tony Brooks in District B; and Bill Barrett in District D.
Two council incumbents, Beth Gilbert in District C, and John Marconi, District E, decided not to run for reelection.
Here is a rundown of the City Council candidates:
DISTRICT A
Name: Mike Belusko, incumbent
Age: 62
Political party: Democrat
Education: Bishop Hoban High School; Automotive Training Center.
Occupation: retired; former owner of Belusko's Garage for more than 40 years.
Family: Son, Eric, and daughter-in-law Melissa Richardson; triplet grandsons Brody, Logan and Conor.
Three key issues:
—The budget
—Police and fire departments
—Address potholes, dirty streets, overall cleanliness of the streets and neighborhoods, among many other issues
DISTRICT B
Name: Tony Brooks, incumbent
Age: 58
Political party: Republican
Education: Attended the University of Pennsylvania
Occupation: Director and Curator, Wilkes-Barré Preservation Society
Family: Married
Three key issues:
—Improve city infrastructure (potholes, streets and blighted properties)
—Improve neighborhood quality of life
—Focus on economic development for more jobs
***
Name: Mark Shaffer
Age: 29
Political party: Democrat
Education: Dickinson College B.A. in Economics and Political Science; American University Masters in Public Policy and Public Administration.
Occupation: Research Analyst
Family: 1 dog; 2 cats
Three key issues:
—Fix our roads, bridges, and creeks
—Improve housing and ensure affordable housing
—Tackle the opioid crisis
DISTRICT C
Name: Stan Mirin
Age: 52
Political party: Democrat
Education: High school education
Occupation: Head custodian, GAR Middle School
Family: Married; 4 children, James 34, Helen 15, Evin 13, Sadie 7.
Three key issues:
—Ensure that all residents of Wilkes-Barre have a excellent quality of life
—Make sure that landlords are accountable for their properties
—Improve pedestrian safety throughout the city
***
Name: Brian G. Ferry
Age: 36
Political party: Democrat
Education: Bachelor's of Environmental Design from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Occupation: Urban Planner and Landscape Designer at Barry Isett & Associates.
Family: Father, the late Dr. Gerald Ferry; mother, Charlotte Ferry; brother, Chris Ferry; sister, Dr. Alissa Ferry; dog, Dude.
Three key issues:
—Update city's Comprehensive Plan to help guide our city and revitalize our neighborhood commercial zones
—Improve safety through design and programming — reimagine our streets to slow traffic speeds through the neighborhood and encouraging social events such as block parties that will help to bring the community together
—Develop a Parks and Recreation plan to address the wants and needs of our community across all demographics and improve our eligibility for grants
DISTRICT D
Name: Bill Barrett, incumbent
Age: 73
Political party: Democrat
Education: Coughlin High School; King's College; Pennsylvania State Police Act 120 Academy, Wyoming, PA; FBI National Academy, Quantico, VA.
Occupation: Wilkes-Barre City Council; Retired as Luzerne County Community College Director of Safety and Security; previously Wilkes-Barre City Chief of Police.
Family: Resides in the Parsons Section of Wilkes-Barre with his wife, Betty Jane; parents of two adult sons and three grandchildren.
Three key issues:
—Maintain fiscal responsibility
—Address problem properties and sub-standard rental properties in neighborhoods
—Maintain fully staffed, trained and equipped police and fire departments
***
Name: Michele Trimingham, Democrat
Age: 64
Political party: Democrat
Education: High school education
Occupation: Retired; worked for New York Housing Authority for 26 years.
Family: one son, two fur babies
Three key issues:
1. Bring the people together
2. Address the homeless issue
3. Public safety; beautify city
***
Name: Linda J. Urban
Age: 70
Political party: Republican
Education: Graduate of Luzerne County Community College, Sciences, Criminal Justice, Police Operations; further studies, University of New York — SUNY — Degree Plan: Community Health & Human Services in Modern America.
Occupation: Education support staff
Family: Mother of three, grandparent of four.
Three key issues:
—Addressing the need for safer, clean housing and surrounds for our homeowner's and rental units in all neighborhoods
—Budget: Monitoring the city's income sources (property tax, permits and fee based programs), maintenance and expenditures
—Addressing the controversial slew of taxpayer paid elected benefits including the elected pensions
DISTRICT E
Name: Jessica McClay
Age: 48
Education: Bachelors Degree from Bloomsburg University
Occupation: Senior resolution manager
Family: I have been married for almost 30 years and have three children.
Three key issues:
—Improving the city for residents and business by focusing on cleaner and safer streets
—Work on community involvement by expanding on some current programs, as well as implementing new ones
—Work on programs to bring more grants and aid to residents to assist in helping them improve homes
CONTROLLER
—Darren Snyder, Incumbent Democrat.
—Tony Thomas, Democrat challenger.
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