The Dunmore Borough Council primary election includes two races — four candidates vying for three four-year seats, and two candidates competing for one two-year term.
For the four-year seats, former Councilmen Thomas Ehnot and Paul Nardozzi are challenging incumbents Thomas Hallinan and Carol Scrimalli. Former Councilman Michael Hayes and newcomer Carmel Verrastro-Biko are facing off for the two-year term.
In a series of interviews, the candidates addressed an array of topics, such as the recent privatization of the Scranton Sewer Authority, which Dunmore partly owned, Keystone Sanitary Landfill’s proposed expansion and attracting business to the borough.
Ehnot
The former councilman emphasized being prudent with Dunmore’s estimated $17.27 million share of the sewer sale to Pennsylvania American Water, seeking grants to spruce up Dunmore Corners, paying down borough debt and pursuing a comprehensive paving plan.
“I want to oversee the sewer authority money, to make sure it’s not being spent foolishly,” Ehnot said.
He proposes focusing on giving Dunmore Corners a face-lift by applying for grants for general beautification and installing new streetlights to attract the next generation of business owners. Some longtime stalwarts recently retired, leaving some openings.
Ehnot supports the Scranton Sewer Authority sale because he believes the private company is in a better position to address infrastructure problems — including issues that cause flooding — because it has more money available for maintenance.
He has no position on Keystone landfill’s controversial 44.6-year expansion plan.
Hallinan
The incumbent also said improvements to Dunmore Corners are a priority, including a proposed community project to install a small clock tower on East Drinker Street; the project would be covered with volunteer labor, donations and perhaps grants.
Other priorities he highlighted included better street maintenance, a paving project and overhauling the public works garage.
On the sewer sale, “I don’t think we had much choice,” Hallinan said, referring to Dunmore’s one vote out of five on the board. “I just wanted to make sure that the ratepayers are protected. We also have a lot of employees from Dunmore that needed to be protected.”
He prefers to keep the proceeds “under lock and key” and use interest generated from the sum to finance borough improvements.
He opposes the landfill expansion.
Hayes
The former councilman’s platform includes saving sewer sale proceeds and using interest to fund placing a police officer at Dunmore Corners and using some of the money to do annual beautification and road projects.
Although he was critical of the sewer authority sale, he felt council President Michael McHale represented Dunmore as well as he could have given the borough’s inferior voting power. Hayes did not support a stormwater fee to address issues the sale left to municipalities.
“You get a large bag of money from the sale, less than what you thought because of the legal fees,” Hayes said. “We never addressed the long-term (stormwater) problem.”
He does not have a position on the landfill expansion, saying there is not enough data to make an informed decision, and proposes having an independent organization test Dunmore’s air, water and soil to establish a baseline for reference on a series of environmental issues.
Nardozzi
The former councilman’s platform includes repaving roads, adding police and fire staff, expanding the recycling program, and implementing an emergency robo-call system to notify residents about emergencies.
Nardozzi said the Fire Department hasn’t consistently had enough staff to use its new nearly $1 million firetruck because many shifts over the last year-plus posted only three firefighters when more are required.
He also proposes hiring a police part-timer to help with administrative tasks and ensure there is a point of contact for the public at the Police Department during business hours.
Nardozzi felt the sewer deal was rushed to accommodate Scranton’s financial needs and left questions about stormwater management unresolved.
“I think Dunmore should join up with surrounding municipalities,” he said. “Down the road, there are going to be some big projects. ... Flood control, stormwater control. Let’s face it. Every town up and down the valley have the same kinds of problems.”
He opposes a stormwater fee and the landfill expansion.
Scrimalli
Among Scrimalli’s priorities: Continuing to focus on the borough’s finances — including paying down debt and shoring up the pension fund — and economic development.
She wants to highlight the region’s proximity to major cities and highways and facilities, including industrial parks, to promote Dunmore.
Scrimalli believes council should set aside money from the sewer authority sale in case new mandates require more action on stormwater to insulate taxpayers and supported the sewer authority sale, citing rate projections.
“American Water had a very good offering to us,” she said. “They had said to us they would be able to keep rates relatively flat for about 10 years. Scranton Sewer Authority was going to raise them at a faster rate.”
On the Keystone landfill expansion, Scrimalli cites mixed emotions, saying that while she doesn’t like the idea, she also doesn’t know how the borough would replace the fees the facility brings in every year.
Verrastro-Biko
Verrastro-Biko’s platform includes supporting first-responders, planning a comprehensive paving program, expanding youth summer programs and implementing a spring cleanup program.
Verrastro-Biko wants to address staffing issues at the Fire Department that, according to union President Vince Sardo, left the new firetruck out of service about 46 percent of the time last year.
She proposes council use some of the cash from the sewer sale for programs and put the rest away in a rainy day fund, while earmarking some for possible future stormwater projects.
She thinks the sewer deal was a mistake because Scranton and Dunmore lost an asset and stormwater management may eat up a large portion of the proceeds. She supports Keystone’s expansion proposal.
“If for some reason the state denies it, Dunmore will lose millions of dollars in revenue,” she said. “Eventually, it’s going to cost Dunmore a lot of money to get rid of garbage. We’ll have to pay for trucks to transport garbage somewhere else. Who’s going to pay for the trucks? Right now, Dunmore is in a good position. Our taxes haven’t had to go up. I just think about the cost.”
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Dunmore Borough Council
THOMAS EHNOT
Age: 58
Family: Wife, Jean Ehnot; children, Casey, Patrick, Thomas, Ryan, Michael, Katelyn, Kelly, Kathleen, Bridget.
Education: Dunmore High School.
Employment: Retired from Gino J. Merli Veterans Center’s activities department; Elmhurst Country Club, club manager.
Experience: Dunmore borough councilman, 1996-2000; also appointed as councilman in 2013 to replace Vito Ruggiero, who had become borough manager.
THOMAS HALLINAN
Age: 60
Family: Wife, Alicia; children, Meghan, Molly, Kelcey and Tommy.
Education: Dunmore High School; attended classes at Penn State Worthington Scranton.
Employment: Retired as an assistant Susquehanna County manager for state Department of Transportation; does consulting two days per week for PennDOT.
Experience: Former 6th Ward Dunmore Democratic committeeman; one-term councilman.
MICHAEL HAYES
Age: 37
Family: Wife, Virginia Capo; daughter, Bella.
Education: St. Anthony’s School; bachelor’s in political science from Penn State University.
Employment: Co-owner of Nardozzi’s Pizza.
Experience: Two-year term on Dunmore Borough Council; six years on Dunmore Zoning Hearing Board; two-time past president of Dunmore Lions Club; co-founder, Dunmore Neighborhood Watch, last active roughly two years ago.
PAUL NARDOZZI
Age: 59
Family: Fiancée, Teresa McLaine; son, Christopher Nardozzi.
Education: Dunmore High School; associate degree in criminal justice, Lackawanna Junior College; graduate of Pennsylvania Municipal Police Training Academy and Pennsylvania State Deputy Sheriff Training Academy; attended University of Scranton.
Employment: Retired police officer.
Experience: Former six-term borough councilman; member of the Original Black Sheep, Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County, San Cataldo Society, F&AM Lodge 523, Sons of Italy, VFW Dunmore social, Waldorf German-American Club, FOP Lodge 2 social, Victor Alfieri Society and St. Ubaldo Society; spearheaded God, Family, Dunmore Bucks sign campaign.
CAROL SCRIMALLI
Age: 58
Family: Husband, Carmen; children, Marianne Davis, Roseanne Chase and Mario Scrimalli.
Education: Oyster Bay High School; Bachelor of Science in business, concentrating in market management.
Employment: Homemaker; previous 14-year relationship manager for Dun & Bradstreet information company.
Experience: Two terms on Dunmore Borough Council; first female president of the Sherwood Park Youth Association; member of UNICO Keystone Chapter and chaired yearly fundraiser; member of the Dunmore Historical Society, the San Cataldo Club, the Lackawanna County Act 32 Tax Collection Committee, SAPA and Lackawanna County Democratic Committee (vice president of 112th District).
CARMEL VERRASTRO-BIKO
Age: 64
Family: Husband, Paul Biko; two children, Leonard and Maura.
Education: Dunmore Central Catholic; graduated from Marywood College, majoring in political science/pre-law with a minor in business.
Employment: Semi-retired; runs snack bar at Revolution Ice Centre in Pittston, and works at North American Warhorse in apparel department; managing partner at Verrastro Realty.
Experience: Parent-teacher group leadership positions at Central Dauphin School District when children were in school; member of UNICO’s Keystone Chapter; volunteer at SS. Anthony and Rocco Church.