Election winners look forward to City Council duties
The winners in the election for three seats on Uniontown City Council said they are looking forward to working on behalf of residents when they take office in January. Three Democrats, incumbent Francis “Joby” Palumbo, Gary Gearing and Philip J. Michael, defeated Republican candidates Russ Rhodes, incumbent Curtis R. Sproul and Gary Altman in Tuesday’s municipal election.
Palumbo led the candidates with 929 votes, or 29 percent of the total, followed by Gearing who received 923 votes, or 29 percent, for four-year terms on council, according to complete, but unofficial election results. Rhodes received 825 votes, or 26 percent, and Sproul received 495 votes, or 16 percent.
Michael won a two-year term in a special election. He received 909 votes, or 53 percent of the total, and Altman received 797, or 47 percent, according to complete, but unofficial results.
Palumbo said the candidates share the same opinions on many issues and have similar visions for the future of the city.
“They all love the city and should be applauded,” Palumbo said.
He called his victory “a blessing from God” and attributed the win to the work he has done for the parks and recreation program.
The parks are not a top priority in city government, but they were a big factor in the election, Palumbo said.
Voters in the East End and Lafayette neighborhoods, whose children use the parks the most, “pulled me through,” he said, noting that he was the second highest vote-getter in his home ward, Ward 1.
“The parks were one of the main reasons I wanted to get involved,” Palumbo said.
He said he wants to become the parks and public property director when council reorganizes in January.
Currently, he is the director of accounts and finance.
Voters seemed to understand the city is struggling with a budget deficit and is considering employee layoffs, Palumbo said.
He said he doesn’t know if the 25 layoffs, which Mayor Ed Fike said are needed, will be proposed at next Tuesday’s council meeting, but he predicted that the decision on laying off workers would be a difficult one for council members to make.
Gearing said talking and listening to voters was the key to winning the close election.
The race was close despite low voter turnout, which indicates there was a good amount of support for each candidate, he said.
“It was a horse race,” Gearing said.
He said he won’t be able to attend next week’s rescheduled council meeting because of a prior commitment, but he is looking forward to taking office in January.
“I’m looking forward to doing the best job I can for the people of the city,” Gearing said.
Michael said he had to rely on campaign help from friends, family and the party because the special election wasn’t assured of a place on Tuesday’s ballot until the end of September, leaving him little time to introduce himself to voters.
“The short race made it complicated,” Michael said, noting that he also advertised in the newspaper and on radio.
He said he didn’t know what role the candidates’ party affiliations had on the outcome, but he believes voters based their votes on the candidates’ qualifications.
Michaels said he ran a positive campaign and believes voters chose him because of his experience and qualifications.
He said he served on several organizations’ boards of directors.
He said he enjoyed serving as director of public safety during the month he served on council as an appointee in the spring, but he does not have a preference in the department he will be assigned to take charge of when council reorganizes in January.
He said he wants to develop short-and long-term plans for every department.
“I just want to move the city forward,” Michael said.