Parks Township Supervisor Scott Kifer, a first-term Republican, faces a primary challenge from retired general contractor and PennDOT maintenance operator John Kuruc.
Barring a Democratic Party write-in campaign, the winner of the May 20 primary will run uncontested in the general election and earn a six-year term on the three-member board.
Kifer, 56, was elected to the board in 2019. He is a pastor at House of Hope Family Worship Center in the township. He also is a former goldsmith, hotel manager and home improvement company manager.
Kuruc, 66, is making his first run for elected office. He retired from driving trucks for PennDOT last year, and wound down his general contracting business, Allegheny Design Management, about seven years ago.
Both candidates cited keeping property taxes low as a priority.
Parks Township raised taxes last year from 7 mills to 9 mills. It was the first hike in many years.
Kifer, who joined in a unanimous vote for the increase, described it as a “one-off.” He attributed it to shrinking state and federal support as well as a higher payroll. But he expressed confidence the township could maintain service levels for many years with out another tax increase.
“I have several years of previous experience in corporate America working on budgets, so one of the things (I can do) is really keep a sharp pencil when it comes to the budget,” Kifer said.
Kuruc said he, too, would look for ways to manage expenses and find funds, though he is not opposed to tax increases, if needed. He would particularly focus on getting money from the state to pave Garvers Ferry, Hungry Hollow, Airport and Gravel Bar roads.
“They got a lot of funds for getting the roadwork in the northern section of the county, and I sort of felt like Parks Township was the lost child,” Kuruc said. “There’s not a lot of infrastructure (work) being done down here.”
The upcoming remediation of the nuclear waste dump in the township was also on the candidates’ minds. After years of planning and public engagement, the Army Corps of Engineers plans to start the cleanup this fall.
The site, known as the Shallow Land Disposal Area by federal agencies, is home to 10 trenches of enriched uranium, contaminated clothing and other hazardous materials buried more than 50 years ago by the Nuclear Materials and Equipment Corp. (NUMEC).
“I believe the Corps of Engineers has a good plan,” Kifer said. “But at the same time, I am concerned and want the Corps of Engineers to be honest with us. I am one of those guys — I’m not afraid to ask the tough questions.”
Kifer said he would like the Army Corps to hold more public information sessions (it currently hosts at least two meetings a year).
Kuruc also felt the agency’s outreach has left something to be desired, though he would seek more written information, rather than meetings, specifically.
In addition, the candidates addressed the future of policing in the township of about 2,800 residents. A recent effort to merge forces with Leechburg and possibly other neighboring communities slowly fell apart over the last year or so and, by January, was dead.
The township currently has two full-time officers, and no chief, according to Kifer.
“I always liked having our own force, but due to economics and everything else … we’ll have to take a look at all options on the table,” Kuruc said. “For now, I’d like to see us hire a full-time police chief for the immediate future and take a hard look at what other communities are doing.”
Kifer struck a similar tone.
“I am very open to regionalizing police, as long as its the right situation for Parks Township,” Kifer said. “I want a full-time police department. We cannot do that on our own.”