At least three new people — and possibly a fourth — will be elected to serve on McCandless’ seven-member council when voters go to the polls Nov. 5. Two incumbent councilmen — first-term member Greg Walkauskas, who represents Ward 5; and long-time Ward 7 representative Bill McKim — are not seeking re-election. Republican Joseph Beierle defeated Angela Woods for the GOP nomination in the May primary to replace Walkauskas. No Democrats sought the party’s nomination in the spring, but Woods received 111 write-in votes on the Democratic ticket — enough to get on the ballot and challenge Beierle, who also received 40 votes from Democrats in the primary. There are 1,322 registered Democrats in Ward 5 and 1,364 Republicans. In most municipal and school board races, a minimum of 10 write-in votes are needed in the primary to get on the general election ballot, according to the Allegheny County election bureau. In Ward 7, Republican Patrick Semon and Democrat Patricia Cloonan ran uncontested in the primary and will square off this fall to fill the seat being vacated by McKim. There are 1,274 Democrats in Ward 7 and 1,010 registered Republicans. Republican voters in Ward 3 declined to nominate incumbent Councilman Steve Mertz to run for a second term, going instead with newcomer Chuck Mazur. Mazur will face Deawna Alfonsi, who ran uncontested in the primary for the Democratic nomination. There are 1,297 Democrats registered in Ward 3 and 1,369 Republicans. Republicans in Ward 1 also declined to give incumbent council President Kim Zachary the nod for a chance to run for a second term, opting instead to cast their votes for Greg Martin, who won with 68.48 percent of the vote in the GOP primary. No Democrats ran for the Ward 1 seat in the primary. But Zachary has a chance to retain her seat in the fall after receiving enough votes on the Democratic ticket — 115 — to win that party’s nomination. Democrats in Ward 1 total 1,292 compared to 1,474 registered Republicans. Following is information submitted by the candidates as well as their response to questions posed by the Trib: QUESTION 1: What are the two biggest challenges facing the Town of McCandless and what ideas or policies will you offer, support or promote to address them? QUESTION 2: How has your back ground and experience equipped you to make decisions affecting the operation of the municipality? ••• Ward 1 Kimberly Zachary — Democrat Home: Grubbs Road Age: 57 Occupation: Certified registered nurse anesthetist Previous elected office: Member of McCandless Town Council since 2015, current council president Question 1: McCandless is a wonderful community, which explains why so many people want to live here. We are challenged to maintain the high quality of the life we love. More people bring more traffic. Traffic flow is a challenge. I have strongly supported the installation of the Town’s “Smart” traffic signals. I will continue to advocate for additional grant funded signals to provide real time efficient and safe traffic flow. I believe it is vital to maintain a clean and healthy place to live. I initiated the creation of the Environmental Advisory Committee to advise council on important environmental issues. I will continue to promote the high quality of life in our community by addressing difficult issues like fracking, connectivity, green space protection and sustainability. Question 2: As the current council president, I have worked diligently and gained great experience in the management of our Town. My career in anesthesia requires effective communication, attention to detail, advocacy, conscientiousness and collaboration. These attributes are imperative in achieving community goals and representing the public. Greg Martin — Republican Home: Babcock Boulevard Age: 34 Occupation: Sales Previous elected office: No Question 1: The Town of McCandless is in grave danger of increasing taxes and taking on new debt, while dissuading businesses, employees, and new residents’ from calling McCandless “Home.” Being “Optimally Conservative” means that we utilize the resources that we already have as best as we possibly can without squandering them and without asking for more. To avoid this we must replace McCandless’ current leadership and it’s “Politics over People” behavior. Question 2: Problems aren’t solved by sitting in a closed room talking with people who all think alike about how the problems exists. They are solved by discussing solutions with people who think differently than you do in an open forum. My experiences have allowed me to manage people and organizations. I’ve written and managed budgets, and I’ve overseen spending initiatives with careful cost vs. benefit analyses. I pride myself in being able to work with anyone (no matter our differences) to find creative solutions to the problems we all know exist, to build consensus around those solutions, and then to effectuate actual positive bipartisan progress. ••• Ward 3 Deawna Marie Alfonsi — Democrat Home: Tanbark Drive Age: 45 Occupation: Small business Owner and applications consultant Previous elected office: No Question 1: Based on feedback from hundreds of residents over the past several years, I see the two biggest challenges to be the need for more transparency and communication and the need to promote unity and cooperation on council. Although strides have been made such as recording and posting Council meetings on YouTube, posting meeting agendas on the town website, implementing text messaging through the Savvy Citizen app, including development news in the e-newsletter all in addition to the established mailing of the McCandless Town Crier, many residents have expressed feeling “left in the dark.” For months I’ve expressed my idea of enabling remote participation in town council meetings — especially for those that are too sick to leave their home, snowed in or perhaps just far too busy with family obligations to attend in person. Additionally, I’d like to use our current systems, such as Savvy Citizen, to also let us know what the agenda items are for the upcoming month, so that citizens can make plans to attend a particular meeting if desired. Question 2: My service on the steering committee for the Implementable Comprehensive Plan, the Environmental Advisory Committee, initiating the Technology Advisory Committee, spearheading community outreach events, attending and watching council meetings and knocking on doors through various campaigns to speak directly to residents have equipped me to make decisions affecting the operation of the Town of McCandless in various ways. Working on the town plan I was involved in varying aspects of the town ranging from development to connectivity to green space preservation to exploring building a more cohesive, centralized hub for the community to establishing a stronger brand identity, more comprehensive communication and aspects of budget. Working on the pursuit of the Sustainable Pennsylvania Community Certificate through Sustainable Pittsburgh has been a deep-dive not just into environmental issues like recycling practices and options for alternate transportation, but also availability of recreational activities, policies of inclusion and setting a blueprint for the future. My favorite part of all these experiences has been the opportunity to work with other residents, town administration, town council members, business owners and community institutions. Chuck Mazur — Republican Home: Sunset Road Age: 77 Occupation: Retired project and business manager Previous elected office: No Question 1: Among my initial challenges as a Councilman, is to establish additional cost controls and budget scrutiny. Given the tremendous growth in McCandless Crossing and the accompanying increased tax base, I want to ensure that spending is controlled and taxes reduced wherever possible. I will work to make sure we maintain and improve our great quality of life in McCandless. I am a fiscal conservative who wants to help restore civility and transparency and eliminate the recent turmoil on council. Question 2: I am an experienced business professional in information systems and project management. I would like to utilize these skills and experience to help the Town of McCandless prosper well into the future. I am more than willing to work with council and the various committees in advancing our goals and objectives. My advanced business degree provides me the basis for financial oversight. In my former position as President/Executive Director of the Ingomar/Franklin Park Athletic Association, I worked closely with town council, the town manager and public works on many projects. Together with several state grants and land acquisitions, we greatly expanded and enhanced multiple fields, provided field lighting, parking, a concession building and maintenance. I currently am a board member and finance committee member of the Woodlands Foundation and the treasurer and finance committee chair for the Northland Library Foundation. I also serve as a trustee and Director of Community Projects for the Knights of Columbus. ••• Ward 5 Angela Woods — Democrat Home: Guenevere Drive Age: 39 Occupation: Stay at home mom Previous elected office: No Question 1: Communication with residents and addressing future development are two of the biggest challenges facing the Town of McCandless; and these two concerns go hand in hand. First, I believe that Council should reevaluate the means by which the Town communicates with residents, expanding the ways that are effective and eliminating the ways that are not. I will seek to solicit feedback from residents through improved and creative channels of communication. I support ideas such as town hall discussions and neighborhood walk-throughs to understand how to best serve the needs of the community. Second, I believe that in our nearly completely developed municipality, we need to turn our attention to incentivizing redevelopment of select areas that will have the biggest impact on storm water management and attract business investment while respecting the residential areas they abut. Once we have established effective means of communication with residents, the Town will be enabled to make better informed decisions regarding development without sacrificing the quality of life for those already here. Question 2: I earned a BS from Penn State in Agricultural and Biological Engineering with a minor in Environmental Engineering; and my undergraduate research project was published in the Journal of Food Science. I have put my career on hold to be a stay-at-home mom for my four children. My background includes two international expatriate assignments as well as several domestic moves. Everywhere I’ve lived, I have dedicated my time to serving the community. I’ve delivered for Meals on Wheels, packed backpacks for FOCUS Pittsburgh, served breakfast at the Pleasant Valley Men’s Shelter and driven for 412 Food Rescue. I’ve volunteered my time at an orphanage, at churches, at schools, and at a retirement home. I am currently serving on the Environmental Advisory Committee for the Town of McCandless. My background makes me uniquely qualified to be a representative for the residents of Ward 5 as I bring to the table experience in other places and a community service point of view. Joseph M. Beierle — Republican Home: Magellan Drive Age: 40 Occupation: Information technology business owner Previous elected office: No Question 1: McCandless needs to balance growth while maintaining the integrity of the community. While we should welcome new business and responsible growth, it must be brought about with forethought. We should not be driving new business away but working with potential developers to ensure that the goals of everyone in the community are met. McCandless also has a significant and ongoing problem protecting the rights of residents to enjoy their property without unreasonable interference. Some residents have been faced with significant issues that have been brought to the attention of the Town, only to be brushed aside. I bring an open mind to the table and would solicit significant input from the community to craft comprehensive solutions. The general policy of Town Council should be to first research the issues and use that knowledge to craft fair and unbiased plans while soliciting input from residents to protect the quality of life for the entire community. Question 2: I have spent the last 17 years in the Information Technology field, the last 10 of which have been in a management/ownership role. As a small business owner on a day to day basis, I need to wear many different hats. I have extensive experience in sales & marketing, entrepreneurship, customer service, strategic planning and implementation, contract negotiations, and communication skills. These skills are critical for a Town Council member As a Town Council member, I would bring my years of expertise to the table and not micromanage the Town. The primary role of council it to craft strategic plans and visions for the future while providing the Town Manager and employees with the tools and resources necessary to implement those plans. ••• Ward 7 Patricia Cloonan — Democrat Home: Lake Marshall Drive Age: 50 Occupation: Realtor for RE/MAX Select Realty Previous elected office: No Question 1: Encouraging responsible development that keeps the interest of residents in mind. New businesses and housing developments provide convenience, needed amenities, shopping/dining options and tax proceeds to the township. But they may also cause disruption to residents with increased traffic, loss of greenspace, and the rising cost of purchasing a home in the area. Instead of soliciting more big box corporations, I would offer small businesses incentives to move to McCandless and fill in existing commercial spaces available. New housing developments, especially 55-plus communities, should have options that might be more affordable to the average McCandless resident. The current council has taken steps to encourage a transparent government, but more can be done. Unfortunately, whether we are talking about sidewalks, chickens or the Implementable Comprehensive Plan, few residents make their voices heard at council meetings. Many residents prefer to engage in reading or talking in person, and not online. I will make myself available to all residents, not just at election time, by having coffee hours, visiting neighborhoods, making myself known and visible at churches, schools, and soccer fields. Question 2: I have been fortunate to amass a wide variety of experience both professionally and personally that makes me the ideal choice to represent the residents of Ward 7. In every role, my willingness to put in the hard work and long hours has been one of my greatest attributes. As a real estate professional, it is in my best interest to keep our community an attractive place to live for future homebuyers and current taxpayers. As the former owner of a catering company and cafe, I understand the struggle of small business people in the area when competing with national chains. I made the choice 14 years ago to watch my four children thrive in McCandless and I want to share the joy with my young neighbors. I have also faced the challenge of finding safe, accessible housing for aging parents in the area. I am proud to be a first generation American, the daughter of Irish immigrants who also put in the hard work to make a good life for their family in the North Hills. Patrick M. Semon — Republican Home: Wendy View Drive Age: 53 Occupation: Train control software and commissioning test engineer, Hitachi Rail Previous elected office: No Question 1: Town council needs leadership that can move past the failures and empty promises of the current council. Our town needs to heal from the botched Police Department investigation debacle; it needs to begin picking up our leaves on time again and promptly clearing snow off of our local streets. Transparency needs to be restored to our government; residents were not even apprised of who our police chief was. Public safety needs to paramount, not an afterthought. The residents of McCandless deserve better. Throughout my life experiences I have had to work with disagreeable people from time to time, but instead of hurling insults, as this council does regularly, I have always believed it imperative to keep an open mind and work toward consensus. My goal on Council is to be a positive force to help forge reasonable solutions. I believe and will work to control growth in a smart way and creating a positive environment for small business by updating our zoning and planning regulations to protect property values while growing our town. Question 2: I will bring a strong and diverse leadership background and life experiences to the Town Council. I am a retired Major from the Army National Guard/Reserve, served in Iraq as a Military Transition Chief responsible for training an Iraqi Army and National Police battalion. I deal well with conflict. As a board member and treasurer of a local authority with a $12 million annual operating budget, I will bring strong executive decision making experience and financial acumen. I am a Train Control Software Test/Commissioning Engineer working with international projects creating multi-year budgets and plans, giving me a broad perspective often missing in local leaders. Far too often, decisions and actions are taken without due consideration for unintended consequences, another flaw that I have witnessed with the current council leadership. With my background and experience, my decision making will be balanced, fact-based, and always in the best interests of our residents.