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 Westmoreland County
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
County Commissioner
DEMOCRATIC
Tom Balya, 45, Greensburg
Education: University of Pittsburgh, master of public and international affairs and bachelor of arts, economics.
Occupation: County commissioner.
Qualifications: Eight years' experience as county commissioner; additional 13 years of public- and private-sector experience.
Answer: There is no boilerplate answer to reducing the cost and improving the efficiency of county services because they vary dramatically in their nature. We provide services ranging from health care delivery at our nursing home to operating a prison to operating a park system. Negotiating employee and vendor contracts aggressively, shopping for less costly employee benefit packages and better utilizing technology to increase productivity are ways of providing county services in a more cost-effective manner.
Tom Ceraso, 39, New Kensington
Education: B.S. political science, Penn State University.
Occupation: County commissioner.
Qualifications: Currently in the office.
Answer: We will have to begin looking at consolidating services to achieve the best delivery of services to the taxpayer at the least possible cost. Also, we will have to continue to look at all aspects of county government, whether it be with our insurance carriers or vendors, to make sure we are getting the best possible value in everything we do.
Virginia Oplinger, 67, Greensburg
Education: Holy Cross School; Youngwood High School 1953; Seton Hill College, one year.
Occupation: Retired April 2001; worked 21 years at Westmoreland Manor; manager of turnpike Howard Johnson's for 15 years.
Qualifications: Knowledge, experience, dedication.
Answer: Consultants hired only when absolutely necessary; county officials will work full-time hours every week; contact Chamber of Commerce for ideas; critical review of total indebtedness of county and what those monies are used for; education; lower taxes.
Rick Wajdic,
No reply (No photo)
REPUBLICAN
Michael Korns, 21, Allegheny Township
Education: B.A. political science, University of Pittsburgh.
Occupation: Student.
Qualifications: Worked in constituent services for Sen. Rick Santorum and on the Tim Murphy for Congress campaign.
Answer: The most important thing that can be done for county government is to eliminate duplicate work by removing elected row office positions. These anachronistic institutions duplicate work and are slow, ponderous offices. If elected I would continue efforts to put home rule on the ballot to allow us to streamline county government. To avoid a tax increase, we must also be prepared for some difficult choices. We must postpone new capital projects and reduce the county workforce, hopefully by not filling the positions of retirees.
Terry R. Marolt, 57, Ligonier
Education: Laurel Valley High; Cambria-Rowe Business College; Pennsylvania Academy of the Minor Judiciary; course work at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Saint Vincent College.
Occupation: Chief administrator (CEO) Westmoreland Non-Profit Housing Corp.
Qualifications: Served three terms as commissioner (1986-2000); chairman of county's prison board; exceptional involvement in the community; four years of private-sector experience.
Answer: County government in Pennsylvania serves as a service delivery platform for state and federally mandated programs. Commissioners need to adequately fund its core mission while cutting or eliminating other programs which have developed over the years. When I left office, the county had a $23 million surplus. It is now looking at a $3 million to $5 million deficit next fiscal year. Spending on non-core programming has to be curtailed. I have taken a "no tax increase" position.
Gene Porterfield, 56, Hempfield
Education: High school graduate; advanced education for professional designations at various universities and Westmoreland County Community College.
Occupation: Appraiser; small businessman; owner.
Qualifications: 35 years' experience working in and with county and municipal governments; eight years as state senator, 39th District; 21 years owning/operating small business with as many as 60 employees.
Answer: Evaluating all departments and offices to streamline and make the offices more efficient with reorganization of manpower and computerization interfacing for sharing common data elements.
Harry F. Smail Jr., 37, Greensburg
Education: J.D., Duquesne University School of Law, four-year evening program, 1997; B.A. Grove City College, 1988, majors in business administration/marketing and political science, honors graduate.
Occupation: Attorney at law.
Qualifications: A wide variety of practical professional employment and non-professional employment over my lifetime that mixed with my academic achievements allows me to speak for the citizens.
Answer: Communication and creativity are the keys to cost-cutting and efficiency. Communication with each department of the county, each board and each authority to evaluate their budgets, and streamline costs by addressing service-providing methods, management techniques and employee education in procedural technology of service programs and equipment knowledge. Creativity in looking at costs and efficiency from a variety of source information to implement effective business strategies utilized in the private sector.
CONTROLLER
DEMOCRATIC
Nat Lamolinara, 44, Derry Township (No photo)
Education: Derry High School (with honors), Saint Vincent College, accounting and management.
Occupation: 25 years self-employed business owner, Alzheimer's care facility, auto service business, construction company, real estate development.
Qualifications: Not only do I have the education but I have experience in running businesses, knowing all facets and what it takes to get results. Along with honesty, I know that the taxpayers do not have unlimited funds.
Answer: I am not a politician, not tied to the current administration and not related to anyone in county government. This makes me and me alone independent. This is a must for county government. Also, my business experience shows that I know the need to run an efficient operation. One area of concern by county employees is the management and profitability of the investment accounts.
Carmen Pedicone, 54, Jeannette
Education: Bachelor's in business management, Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Occupation: District administrator, Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.
Qualifications: My wide range of experience in public finance and government (as an administrator, revenue agent, auditor and council member) qualifies me to serve. I am committed to integrity and professionalism in the controller's office.
Answer: It is important that government deliver quality services in a cost-efficient fashion. One of the controller's responsibilities is to scrutinize all county expenditures. I am committed to making constructive recommendations to minimize county operating expenses. I will also target the controller's audit functions to maximize potential financial return to the county.
REPUBLICAN
No candidate filed.
TREASURER
DEMOCRATIC
Kathalyn O'Brien,
No reply (No photo)
REPUBLICAN
No candidate filed.
SHERIFF
DEMOCRATIC
Chris Scherer, 37, Lower Burrell (No photo)
Education: University of California School of Law, J.D.; Saint Vincent College, major accounting, minor finance; Valley High School.
Occupation: Sheriff.
Qualifications: Four years as sheriff of Westmoreland County; seven years as assistant district attorney, Westmoreland County; member of National Sheriffs Association, Pennsylvania Sheriffs Association, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 39.
Answer: During my first term of office, I have worked with the union to more effectively redistribute the workforce to reduce overtime. In this regard, shifts have been staggered to provide 24 hour, 7 day a week coverage. Moreover, I have instituted many community programs such as Seniors Against Crime, Cell Phones for Seniors and Youth Identification Programs, where we partnered with private enterprise sponsorships to relieve the burden on the taxpayers. I also obtained grant money to provide a gun safety program to complement our new photo ID system.
Harry Smail, 60, Greensburg (No photo)
Education: Hempfield graduate; Indiana University police academy.
Occupation: Certified municipal police officer, Westmoreland Juvenile Center.
Qualifications: Police academy, Indiana University; governor's award for community crime prevention; Hempfield school board, eight years.
Answer: I will work to prevent the sheriff's office from once again exceeding its budget, as it did by 17 percent as of last July alone, as reported by the Greensburg newspaper on July 25, 2002. I would also like to halt sheriff's sales on properties owned by seniors over 66 who have struggled with family illness. It is possible to operate a sheriff's office that is respectful of the needs of the taxpayers and our senior citizens.
REPUBLICAN
No candidate filed.
RECORDER OF DEEDS
DEMOCRATIC
Roland J. Martino,
No reply (No photo)
Tom Murphy, 39, Arnold
Education: Valley High School; attended Penn State University.
Occupation: Westmoreland County recorder of deeds.
Qualifications: Current office holder.
Answer: I have in my first term completely computerized the office. I have cut the impact of our budget to the general fund by more than $140,000. I have increased revenue from $1 million a year to $2 million a year. I also put all of our records on the Internet and the public can see and download all info: www.wcdeeds.us.
REPUBLICAN
No candidate filed.
REGISTER OF WILLS
DEMOCRATIC
Earl S. Keim II,
No reply (No photo)
REPUBLICAN
No candidate filed.
JUDGE OF COMMON PLEAS COURT
DEMOCRATIC-REPUBLICAN
Christopher A. Feliciani, 44, Hempfield
Education: B.S. health science, Slippery Rock University, 1982; J.D. Ohio Northern University, 1988.
Occupation: Attorney.
Qualifications: Approximately 15 years' experience, general practice in family court, civil court, as solicitor for local municipality; extensive jury trial experience including state and federal court practice. Experienced trial attorney having handled hundreds of cases including but not limited to six first-degree murder cases.
Answer: Our courts need to be more accessible to our citizens and attorneys representing them. Westmoreland County does not have a night court, however this would be helpful, especially in family court, to allow access without the need for parties to miss work. Our judges must be willing to listen and be patient with those who come before them. As I learned long ago, humility is perhaps the greatest and most important value in those who sit in judgment of our laws.
Michele G. Bononi, 42, Unity
Education: B.A. Seton Hall University, magna cum laude, 1982; J.D. Ohio Northern University, 1985.
Occupation: Attorney, partner, Bononi & Bononi P.C.; domestic relations hearing officer.
Qualifications: Experience in the courtroom; experience in hearing over 3,500 cases as the domestic hearing officer; knowledge of our community by serving on six nonprofit boards.
Answer: Serving as a hearing officer, I have seen the frustration of litigants being forced to attend numerous hearings pertaining to family issues such as support, custody and equitable distribution. As an experienced family law attorney, I would work toward making Family Court a unified system. Parties could address all issues simultaneously in front of a single officer of the court, take less time off work and save money.
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