Six on ballot in district judge race
In one of the more hotly contested primary races, six area men are vying for magisterial district judge in Uniontown. Incumbent Mark L. Blair will square off against Gary N. Altman, Dan Campbell, Ronald K. Machesky, Michael M. Metros and Brian Miller for the four-year post on the Democratic ticket.
All the candidates, with the exception of Miller, cross-filled as Republicans as well.
Blair, who did not attend the editorial board session, has held the position of magisterial district judge in Uniontown for four years after taking over for his father, Lawrence Blair, who held the post for more than three decades.
Blair, who said he is focusing his time on door-to-door meetings with residents across the city rather than debates, is a former Uniontown police officer. During a recent editorial board and a telephone interview, five of the six candidates discussed their qualifications for the judgeship as well as topics including video arraignments, bond issues and the redistricting of the district judges across the county several years ago.
Altman has been an attorney in Fayette County for more than 32 years and said he is the most qualified candidate because of his experience in “all aspects of the legal profession.”
“I have a reputation for honesty and integrity,” Altman said. “I have handled cases at every level except the U.S. Supreme Court… I have done a lot of things that lend to one’s experience and judgment.”
Altman said the majority of the work associated with district judge is administrative and said that it is important to realize that as a district judge you don’t make policy.
Campbell has been employed as a guard at the Fayette County Prison since 2005 and has worked as a state constable since 2004.
The lifelong Uniontown resident said that his threefold experience with apprehension, the law and incarceration make him the best candidate for the position.
“The main thing about me is that I have the experience necessary for the job,” Campbell said. “I receive yearly training in criminal and civil law and I have a bachelor’s degree in business that will aide me as judge.”
Machesky is a lifetime resident of Uniontown and served on the city police force for 24 years, rising to the rank of police chief. After retiring from the department in 1999, Machesky worked for the University of Pittsburgh as a police officer and then last year assumed the position of public safety director in Penn Hills. He resigned from that post this year and currently is working as the director of safety in the Laurel Highlands School District. Additionally, Machesky has served 15 years on the Uniontown Area School Board.
“I feel I am the best candidate based on 31-plus years of service and 15 years on the school board,” Machesky said. “I have a good handle on the necessities of the district justice position.”
Metros is a lieutenant with the Uniontown Police Department and has served on the force for more than 30 years. Metros said his work as a policeman gives him “a unique perspective of the problems within the city.”
“I think I have a better understanding of the changing nature of the problems facing the city,” Metros said.
According to Metros, he is the only candidate who has completed his magisterial judge’s training and said that his career work, including writing affidavits and testifying in court, helps him recognize the challenges of the position.
“The way the position is currently being handled is not good for the city and not good for the people,” Metros said. “This is a full-time position and I am not here to supplement another job. I am prepared to do the work.”
He said he would bring experience and personal integrity to the job if elected and said that he believes he is the only candidate vying for the seat not trying to supplement his income, acting on a vendetta or running with political motivations.
Miller is the deputy warden of security at the Fayette County Prison and has worked at the prison for 13 years.
Miller said his job has given him the experience necessary to handle the position of district judge as he has sat in judgment on hundreds of cases involving people in the prison.
“I’m young. I’m willing to grow and better myself,” Miller said.
He said he is in charge of 52 officers and seven lieutenants at the prison and said that his experience in dealing with criminals gives him an edge over the other candidates.
Biggest challenge
Altman said the biggest challenge facing the incoming district judge will be the local war on drugs but said that the issue is too broad to control from the bench and only can be solved by a concerted effort at many levels of law enforcement.
Campbell said the toughest challenge is the outstanding warrants needing to be served from the office.
“Through better cooperation, I can get those warrants served,” Campbell said.
Machesky said if he is elected, he will focus some of his attention on crime prevention by visiting area schools and becoming more active in the community, noting that educating area youth about right and wrong is the biggest challenge the district judge will face.
“You get to them when they are younger students and you might be able to prevent a lot of problems,” Machesky said.
Metros said the biggest challenge facing the district judge would be working to try and balance laws and standards against common-sense discretion.
While Miller said the toughest challenge facing the person in the position will be eliminating a backlog of work at the office and challenging local children to avoid trouble.
Video arraignments
Altman said he is a proponent of video arraignment, noting that the newly implemented system “provides a service for criminal defendants and police” by reducing trips to and from the prison.
Campbell said he favors video arraignments and said that he would work to conduct them to increase security in the courtroom.
Machesky also favors video arraignment and attributed speculation about flaws in the system to improper supervision, something he said he would correct if elected. He said a properly running system could be a cost-saver and increase the safety of all parties involved in arraignments.
Metros said he is aware of the problems associated with video arraignments but said it is merely as case of “paperwork getting lost in the shuffle.” He added it could be easily monitored and corrected.
Miller said he is a supporter of video arraignments and is very familiar with the procedure, using it from inside the prison over the last few years for arraignments.
Bond-setting, redistricting
Altman said that while some area residents might be concerned that bonds are set too low or reduced too often, he recognizes that “you can’t cure society’s problems with a bond.”
He said that if elected, he would follow the sentencing guidelines in the law to establish bond.
On the subject of the redistricting of the district judges, Altman said the state made the move as part of a push to have all district judges with a legal background by enticing more attorneys by offering more attractive salaries. He said legal experience is something that will be mandatory in the next 10 years. He also noted that he believes that the county could consolidate the position even further.
Campbell said the redistricting of the district judges several years ago does not impact the district judge’s position.
Additionally, Campbell said that while he sympathizes with concern regarding low bonds being set, the level of the offenses committed governs the judge’s bond rate.
“We barely have enough room at the prison now,” Campbell said. “But if it is an offense of violence, they are going to have a bed. Make no mistake about that.”
Machesky said he understands concern over the perception of low bonds, but agreed that there are guidelines for setting bail. However, he said that if elected he would take into consideration the flight risk of the defendant being charged and the seriousness of the offense before setting bond.
Machesky said he agreed with the redistricting of the judges’ offices and said the move “evened the caseload.” He also said that he does not think the district judges should be reduced further in the future “unless the population has a downward shift.”
Metros said the redistricting of the county is not an issue in the race and said that the workload is distributed fairly.
Regarding bonds, Metros said that bond is not set by district judges as a punishment but as a guarantee that the defendant will appear during preliminary proceedings. However, he did say that higher bonds can be used for the benefit of the public.
“It can be utilized to alleviate some issues,” Metros said. “Sometimes it is right to deny people a couple of free days.”
On the subject of bonds, Miller said, “A lot of bonds don’t fit the crimes” and said if elected, he will work to balance that discrepancy out.
Miller agreed that the redistricting of the judges is not an issue in the primary.