WILKES-BARRE — Three incumbent city council members will seek re-election in 2023 and two have said they will not run.
When the dust settles in November, council will have two new members — or more, depending on the will of the voters.
Council members Beth Gilbert McBride (District C) and John Marconi (District E) have announced that they will not seek re-election to council.
McBride is employed as acting director at the Luzerne County Election Bureau.
Mayor George Brown has also stated he will seek a second term to lead the city.
The primary election will be held May 16, 2023.
Among the other council members:
• Bill Barrett announced this week that he is a candidate for re-election to a sixth term on council in District D, which includes District D, which includes parts of Miners Mills and the Parsons sections of the city, and also all of East End and parts of the Heights.
Barrett, a former city chief of police, was first elected to City Council in 2004.
Barrett is a life-long resident of the city and he attended Coughlin High School, King’s College and the FBI National Academy, Quantico Va. Barrett is a U.S. Army Vietnam-era veteran. He served with the Wilkes-Barre Police Department for 27 years, retiring as Chief of Police.
“I believe my knowledge of the city, and my experience as a council member and city police officer, provides me with knowledge of the city, it’s neighborhoods and it’s needs,” Barrett said. “Since first being elected, I have continuously focused on keeping our city safe, clean and providing exceptional services to our residents and businesses effectively and responsibly.”
Barrett currently remains active on numerous boards and commissions, including the Pennsylvania Municipal League Legislative Committee, the Pennsylvania Municipal Police Officers Education and Training Commission, the Wilkes-Barre Police Civil Service Commission and others.
• Current Council Chair Mike Belusko, 62, has said he will seek a third term four-year term representing District A, which consists mostly of South Wilkes-Barre.
• Tony Brooks has announced that he will seek a third term representing District B — which includes part of the downtown and Rolling Mill Hill, Iron Triangle and Mayflower.
Potential newcomers
• Stan Mirin, a Democrat, announced that he is running for Wilkes-Barre City Council in District C. Mirin, 51, is employed by the Wilkes-Barre Area School District as the head custodian, He said he has always been a dedicated member of his community.
Beyond his employment, Mirin has served in various voluntary positions in the city and the community at-large. For the last year, Mirin has served as the Block Captain for the Heights and Mayflower sections of Wilkes-Barre. He is also a member of the Executive Committee for 570-On-The-Go.
Mirin said he would focus heavily on the needs of his community and city. Mirin’s top goals are to improve the quality of life for the families in the area. To accomplish this, Mirin said the focus must be on safety.
One way Mirin said he intends to improve the safety of the city is to ensure that pedestrians are safe when walking through their neighborhoods, especially children on their way to and from school.
“A higher police presence, both on the streets and walking the beat, will encourage community connection with law enforcement,” Mirin said. “Also, the rehabilitation or demolition of dilapidated and abandoned buildings in our neighborhoods which have scarred this great city for too long. This will require the city to take a stronger stance on out-of-town landlords and hold them accountable for their properties.”
• Jessica McClay announced her candidacy for Wilkes-Barre City Council District E. McClay, 48, is a Democrat and a lifelong resident of the North End section of Wilkes-Barre.
McClay graduated from James M. Coughlin High School and Bloomsburg University with a bachelor’s degree, and she currently is employed as a workers’ compensation adjuster.
“I am running because I am invested in this city and would like to help in improving the quality of life within the city,” McClay said. “Some of the issues that I will focus on are blight properties, cleaner and safer streets, as well as keeping Wilkes-Barre an affordable place to live. I also feel we need to work on bringing business to the city as well keeping the current business.”
McClay said she will work hard for the community and she will listen and respond to her constituents if elected to represent the City of Wilkes-Barre.
• Tony Thomas recently announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Wilkes-Barre City Controller.
Current City Controller Controller Darren Snyder has not announced if he will seek a third term.
Thomas, 33, was born and raised in Wilkes-Barre and is a graduate of James M. Coughlin High School and Wilkes University.
He currently resides in the Brookside section of Wilkes-Barre and is employed by Berkshire Hathaway Guard as a Worker’s Compensation Adjuster. He also serves on the Wilkes-Barre Planning Commission and formerly served on the Shade Tree Commission.
Thomas stated, “It’s important that the controller keep the residents of Wilkes-Barre’s tax dollars in check.”
Thomas said he pledges to be a full-time controller and will be in his office Monday through Friday, accessible to all those that need him.