Generating an influx of revenue and paying down the cash-strapped borough's debt were among the key priorities listed by the three candidates vying for one seat on Clarks Summit Borough Council.
Former board member Robert Bennett and M. Vincent Cruciani will challenge Dominic Scott in the all-Republican primary on May 21.
Mr. Scott, who was appointed to council in June, said the borough needs to continue introducing new ideas to generate additional revenue.
He cited two recent strategies - advertising on marked police vehicles and purchasing truck scales, thereby allowing officers to fine violators - as ways the borough can offset the approximately $500,000 dip in earned income tax revenue from 2008 to 2012.
A retired senior systems analyst for MetLife, Mr. Bennett took office in January 2008 but resigned in 2009, after taking a job with the U.S. Census Bureau, which prevented him from serving as an elected official.
He reflected on his past, saying he was able to save money by "closely monitoring the budget," and "negotiating a less expensive" trash collection contract.
"I would ask, 'Is what is being done the best option financially?'â" he said.
Mr. Cruciani, a land representative with Williams, said he would focus his efforts on paying down the borough's "unnecessary level" of debt, which he attributed to poor decision making.
He cited the borough's $1.99 million settlement with land developers over the 2003 closure of Grandview Street.
The settlement stemmed from council's decision to close a portion of the street, which blocked access to a South Abington Twp. housing development.
But if council members hadn't ignored initial settlement offers, which Mr. Cruciani said were about $1 million less, residents wouldn't be paying nearly as much in taxes, he said
"I want to make sure we don't make decisions that will have a long-term negative impact on the borough," he said.
All three candidates agreed finding new sources of revenue is critical in order to keep the borough's millage rate of 29.5 steady, especially because of the borough's aging community.
"We have to run the borough efficiently with the money that is available," Mr. Scott said.
Contact the writer: miorfino@timesshamrock.com, @miorfinoTT on TwitterRobert A. Bennett
Age: 72
Family: Wife, Regina; children, Robert and William.
Education: Graduated from Mineola High School in Garden City Park, N.Y.
Employment: Retired senior systems analyst at Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.; office supervisor for U.S. Census Bureau
Address: Clarks Summit
Experience: Appointed to borough council in 2001 and elected as councilman in 2007
Top issue: Monitoring finances
M. Vincent Cruciani
Age: 30
Family: Wife, Melissa
Education: Bachelor of Science from the University of Scranton, Juris doctorate from Washington and Lee University
Employment: Land representative at Williams
Address: Clarks Summit
Experience: Trustee for Union Lodge 291; representative on the Masonic Temple and Scottish Rite Cathedral Association of Scranton; treasurer of Lackawanna County's Republican Party
Top issue: Paying down debt
Dominic Scott
Age: 82
Education: Bachelor of Science, University of Scranton
Employment: Retired manager of Ford Motor Co.'s pension retirement department
Address: Clarks Summit
Experience: Member VFW Post 7069, director of the Catholic Social Services Finance Committee, officer in Knights of Columbus
Top issue: Managing finances