May 3, 2007 By Steve Ferris 2 min read

Pitt Gas resident Mark W. Starostanko is challenging two incumbents for one of the Democratic nominations for a seat on the Greene County board of commissioners. Starostanko, who said he works as a therapist, is running against current commissioners Pam Snyder, who is chairwoman, and Dave Coder in the May 15 primary.

Archie Trader and Mark E. Snyder, who is not related to the incumbent, are running for the Republican nominations.

A former Children and Youth Services caseworker for the county, Starostanko graduated from Jefferson-Morgan High School in 1990, received a bachelor’s of arts degree in social sciences/pre-law from Waynesburg College in 1994 and received master’s degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh in 2005.

He said he was appointed to and served one year on the Jefferson-Morgan School Board and was on the board’s budget and finance committee.

The Hatch Act, which prohibits state and county employees who receive at least part of the salaries from federal loans or grants from being a candidate in partisan elections, prevented him from running for a full term on the school board.

Starostanko said he believes the county commissioners should quit outsourcing jobs.

“Greene County needs to not outsource jobs that can be done within the county. Specifically, one in-county service pertaining to independent living skills for teenagers was outsourced to another county,” Starostanko said. “That was just one of many.”

He said the current commissioners have neglected the county’s outlying communities.

“The county has neglected the outlying areas in planning and development,” Starostanko said. “Specifically, infrastructure, including sewage, water and access to these areas.”

He said he would form citizen volunteer groups throughout the county to help him understand the needs of different communities.

Starostanko said he promises to work with his fellow commissioners and borough, township and state officials to expand infrastructure to create opportunities for businesses to open.

He said he lives with his two daughters and they are members of the Jefferson Baptist Church, where he teaches Sunday school. “I would like to build a county where my children and the children of all my constituents can grow up, be educated, find respectable employment, get married and build a family,” Starostanko said. “A well-designed county can be green, educated and have a variety of opportunities that can sustain a family.”