As Peter Ferraro tells the story, he first ran for Ross commissioner on a dare.

While serving as president of the Keown Heights Civic Association, Mr. Ferraro approached the commissioner representing his neighborhood with complaints about too much commercial development on nearby McKnight Road.

		Listen in Staff writer Len Barcousky talks with Peter Ferraro, president of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Commissioners.

"His answer was that he knew what was best for Ross Township," Mr. Ferraro recalled. "If I didn't like it, I could run against him. He joked that even little Raffie Belliard would get a home run once in a while."

Former Pirate Rafael Belliard, despite his lack of hitting power, had a 17-year major league playing career and now is infield coach for the Detroit Tigers.

Similarly, Mr. Ferraro, running as a Republican, went on to defeat the popular Democratic incumbent and has represented residents of the township's 8th Ward since 1990.

Mr. Ferraro, 63, picked up another honor this summer when he was elected president of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Commissioners.

The association represents the interests of larger townships before the state Legislature, agencies and authorities. Active in the organization for about a decade, Mr. Ferraro had served most recently as president of its western division.

"Pete is a pretty hard guy not to get along with," Democratic Commissioner Gerald O'Brien said. "You can trust him, and he will be good in his new position."

That opinion was seconded by Amy Sturges, director of governmental affairs for the commissioners association. "Pete will be great to work with," she said. "He is interested in serving his township and the state association."

	Shamim Ashraf, Post-Gazette Ross Commissioner Peter Ferraro Click photo for larger image.

Association members get together several times each year to discuss common problems, study pending legislation and take positions on legislative issues.

One of his top priorities will be to seek additional state support to encourage participation in volunteer fire companies, Mr. Ferraro said. Pennsylvania legislators are considering a $250 state tax credit for each unpaid firefighter.

"I think there is more we can do," he said. "Maybe education aid for firefighters and their families. We have to encourage people to volunteer because if we have to change to paid fire departments, it will bankrupt us."

Mr. Ferraro said he got his main inspiration for community service from his late parents, Albert and Emily Ferraro. "They encouraged us to give something back to the community," he said. "Being a commissioner certainly hasn't been a thankless job, because I get great satisfaction out of helping people."

He also was encouraged to get involved in local politics by a longtime neighbor, Molly Daly. She was a Ross commissioner for 20 years and served as the board's first woman president. She retired in 2000.

A longtime Democrat, Mr. Ferraro changed parties shortly before his first run for commissioner. "Molly Daly told me my political philosophy seemed more conservative," he said. Changing parties also meant that he had no opponent in the spring primary election, giving him six additional months to build name recognition.

Mr. Ferraro was born in 1943 and grew up in Sharpsburg. After graduating in 1961 from Pittsburgh's North Catholic High School, he put off college to join the U.S. Army.

He served much of his time in Germany. "I hooked up with two older soldiers, and we had a great chance to travel around Europe," he recalled. Service personnel could show up in uniform at most American air bases and fly for free, if space was available. "We went on a 10-day American Express Tour of Italy -- lodging, breakfast and dinner cost $129," he said.

After completing his Army service, he earned a certificate from the Pittsburgh Automation Institute.

Offered two jobs in the same week, he sought the advice of his father, who urged him to sign on with Equitable Gas Co., now part of Equitable Resources. "My father remembered that during the Depression, employees of utility companies kept working," Mr. Ferraro said.

He estimated that he did at least 10 different jobs at Equitable, ranging from meter reader to cost accountant.

While working full time, he earned a bachelor's degree in business from what is now Robert Morris University. He ended his 35-year career in 1999 as a department head, supervising more than two dozen employees.

He and his wife, Sandra, have two grown children, Dean, who lives in McCandless, and Marla Zerrer, who lives in Pine.

Mr. Ferraro said he has stayed busy in retirement, in part by helping his children with their entrepreneurial ventures. His son owns a bar in West Deer called Dean's 3 Door Tavern.

"My wife and I will go and assist with the books or serve breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays," he said.

His daughter and her husband, John, own Zerrer's Antiques in Pittsburgh's Strip District. "I've gotten a kick out of learning what the antique business is all about," he said.

As a result, he's always on the lookout for bargains. "I'll read the Pennysaver, then make some calls about items I'm interested in. And I'll hit a few garage sales."

His constituents and colleagues aren't shy about contacting him. During the course of a 90-minute interview at his house in Keown Heights, both his home and cell phones rang multiple times. Most of the calls had to do with the next commissioners' meeting or other township issues.

Mr. Ferraro said he takes his responsibility as the people's representative very seriously.

Ross, which is home to several major shopping centers and hundreds of free-standing businesses, has been in preliminary talks with Wal-Mart about construction of a new store on McKnight Road.

Mr. Ferraro said that while he has begun to form opinions on the suitability of building another large retail store on the busy highway, he is keeping an open mind on the issue.

"I want to hear what my constituents have to say," he said.