WILKES-BARRE — There are nine candidates for Wilkes-Barre City Council in Tuesday’s Primary Election.
Three incumbent city council members will seek re-election in 2023 — Chairman Mike Belusko in District A; Tony Brooks in District B; and Bill Barrett in District D.
Two council incumbents, Beth Gilbert in District C, and John Marconi, District E, decided not to run for reelection.
Here is a rundown of the City Council candidates:
DISTRICT A
Name: Mike Belusko, incumbent
Age: 62
Political party: Democrat
Education: Bishop Hoban High School; Automotive Training Center.
Occupation: retired; former owner of Belusko’s Garage for more than 40 years.
Family: Son, Eric, and daughter-in-law Melissa Richardson; triplet grandsons Brody, Logan and Conor.
Three key issues:
• The budget
• Police and fire departments
• Address potholes, dirty streets, overall cleanliness of the streets and neighborhoods, among many other issues
DISTRICT B
Name: Tony Brooks, incumbent
Age: 58
Political party: Republican
Education: Attended the University of Pennsylvania
Occupation: Director and Curator, Wilkes-Barré Preservation Society
Family: Married
Three key issues:
• Improve city infrastructure (potholes, streets and blighted properties)
• Improve neighborhood quality of life
• Focus on economic development for more jobs
***
Name: Mark Shaffer
Age: 29
Political party: Democrat
Education: Dickinson College B.A. in Economics and Political Science; American University Masters in Public Policy and Public Administration.
Occupation: Research Analyst
Family: 1 dog; 2 cats
Three key issues:
• Fix our roads, bridges, and creeks
• Improve housing and ensure affordable housing
• Tackle the opioid crisis
DISTRICT C
Name: Stan Mirin
Age: 52
Political party: Democrat
Education: High school education
Occupation: Head custodian, GAR Middle School
Family: Married; 4 children, James 34, Helen 15, Evin 13, Sadie 7.
Three key issues:
• Ensure that all residents of Wilkes-Barre have a excellent quality of life
• Make sure that landlords are accountable for their properties
• Improve pedestrian safety throughout the city
***
Name: Brian G. Ferry
Age: 36
Political party: Democrat
Education: Bachelor’s of Environmental Design from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Occupation: Urban Planner and Landscape Designer at Barry Isett & Associates.
Family: Father, the late Dr. Gerald Ferry; mother, Charlotte Ferry; brother, Chris Ferry; sister, Dr. Alissa Ferry; dog, Dude.
Three key issues:
• Update city’s Comprehensive Plan to help guide our city and revitalize our neighborhood commercial zones
• Improve safety through design and programming — reimagine our streets to slow traffic speeds through the neighborhood and encouraging social events such as block parties that will help to bring the community together
• Develop a Parks and Recreation plan to address the wants and needs of our community across all demographics and improve our eligibility for grants
DISTRICT D
Name: Bill Barrett, incumbent
Age: 73
Political party: Democrat
Education: Coughlin High School; King’s College; Pennsylvania State Police Act 120 Academy, Wyoming, PA; FBI National Academy, Quantico, VA.
Occupation: Wilkes-Barre City Council; Retired as Luzerne County Community College Director of Safety and Security; previously Wilkes-Barre City Chief of Police.
Family: Resides in the Parsons Section of Wilkes-Barre with his wife, Betty Jane; parents of two adult sons and three grandchildren.
Three key issues:
• Maintain fiscal responsibility
• Address problem properties and sub-standard rental properties in neighborhoods
• Maintain fully staffed, trained and equipped police and fire departments
***
Name: Michele Trimingham, Democrat
Age: 64
Political party: Democrat
Education: High school education
Occupation: Retired; worked for New York Housing Authority for 26 years.
Family: one son, two fur babies
Three key issues:
1. Bring the people together
2. Address the homeless issue
3. Public safety; beautify city
***
Name: Linda J. Urban
Age: 70
Political party: Republican
Education: Graduate of Luzerne County Community College, Sciences, Criminal Justice, Police Operations; further studies, University of New York – SUNY – Degree Plan: Community Health & Human Services in Modern America.
Occupation: Education support staff
Family: Mother of three, grandparent of four.
Three key issues:
• Addressing the need for safer, clean housing and surrounds for our homeowner’s and rental units in all neighborhoods
• Budget: Monitoring the city’s income sources (property tax, permits and fee based programs), maintenance and expenditures
• Addressing the controversial slew of taxpayer paid elected benefits including the elected pensions
DISTRICT E
Name: Jessica McClay
Age: 48
Education: Bachelors Degree from Bloomsburg University
Occupation: Senior resolution manager
Family: I have been married for almost 30 years and have three children.
Three key issues:
• Improving the city for residents and business by focusing on cleaner and safer streets
• Work on community involvement by expanding on some current programs, as well as implementing new ones
• Work on programs to bring more grants and aid to residents to assist in helping them improve homes
CONTROLLER
• Darren Snyder, Incumbent Democrat.
• Tony Thomas, Democrat challenger.