Election Q&A: Ellwood City Borough Council Candidates

The Municipal Primary Election will take place on May 16.

We caught up with the candidates for Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors and the candidates for Ellwood City Borough Council.

This is PART TWO of our TWO-PART SERIES featuring Q&As with the candidates. Part 1 featured the ECASD Board of Directors candidates and was published yesterday. Part 2 features the Ellwood City Borough Council Candidates.

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Important Dates

• Upcoming Elections – MUNICIPAL PRIMARY  – Tuesday, May 16, 2023 
  • Polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Last Day to REGISTER for the Primary Election – Monday, May 1, 2023
• Last Day to APPLY for Mail-In or Civilian Absentee ballot – Tuesday, May 9, 2023
• Mail-In and Civilian Absentee ballots MUST BE RECEIVED at the County Office by Tuesday, May 16, 2023, 8 p.m. EDT

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Ellwood City Borough Council Candidates: Judith Dici, George Celli, Caleb Cragle, Jimmy Johnson, William Weller , John Fraser

Judith S. Dici

Employment: Currently a substitute teacher at Shenango Elementary School

Former Experience, Roles, and Years Serving on Ellwood City Council: 28 1/2 years as an English and Spanish teacher and law enforcement officer and currently completing my 12th year on Ellwood City Council.

What neighborhood do you live in? Why? Where are your favorite places to spend time in our town? I live in the Rolling Hills area of Ellwood City. I live there because it is a small quiet neighborhood. I enjoy spending time in Ewing Park and exercising at the Ellwood City Family Center located in the North Side area of town.

What makes a good city council member? A good council member is someone with the ability to multi-task, be persistent, as well as creative, in finding ways to solve an issue.

What do you think are the three biggest issues facing our town right now? What solutions do you have to offer to resolve those issues? Revenue, infrastructure, and attracting businesses to relocate here. To successfully resolve these issues, we need to be fiscally responsible and offer incentives to reduce the fees for “startup” businesses.

Why do you want to be a council member? I want to be a part of moving Ellwood City forward and helping our town to reach its full potential.

Is there a particular issue that motivates you to serve? I grew up in EC and want to do what I can to ensure that future generations are able to enjoy the same opportunities that I had. Activities for all ages are needed to maintain a thriving community and help to attract individuals considering moving here.  Former Councilwoman Marilyn Mancini and I persisted for over 3 years to get a bocci court and sand volleyball court built in the park.  Both are used by the public and the school with our high school bocci team placing third in the State and our girls’ volleyball team has been consistently in the playoffs.  I proposed and persisted until it was agreed upon to put up a pickle ball court in Ewing Park.

What particular experiences or skills have prepared you to serve? Both of my careers, law enforcement, and education, afforded me the opportunity to interact with people at different levels. These experiences have given me the skills necessary to communicate effectively with my peers.

In what community activities/organizations have you been involved? I was a member of the Ellwood City Lions Club and its first female President.  I worked closely with Mayor Court and the juveniles assigned to perform community service within the Borough.  I am a member of Divine Grace Parish and plan trips for the organization and the general public, also volunteering on the 4th of July Festival and the Oktoberfest.  I also volunteered with the Relay for Life assigned to getting the vocalists and readers for the memorial celebration.

What differentiates you from the other candidates and/or council members? What differentiates me from other candidates is my involvement outside of Ellwood City.  I attend the PA State Association of Boroughs Conferences.  There I get to meet officials from other boroughs and can discuss with them what has worked, or not worked in their community and establish relationships that can be helpful to Ellwood City.  The many honors that I have received at the State level demonstrate that involvement, including Certified Borough Official, President of the PA State Councils Association for 3 years, President of the Lawrence County Boroughs Association, a 6-year appointment to Governor Wolf’s Local Government Advisory Panel and now serving my second year on Governor Shapiro’s Local Government Advisory Panel where I represent every Borough in the state.  I am also the first female to serve as President of Ellwood City Borough Council.

As a council member, where would you look to make budget cuts? Every department needs to be scrutinized and, where necessary, paring needs to be made.

How would you handle the requests, if approached, by an individual?  Special interest groups? All requests should be accepted and studied.

What are 2-3 strengths of which our town can be proud? Why do you see these as strengths? Our park and recreation system is one of our biggest attributes, and it is also one of the finest in the area. Another is our relatively low crime rate when compared to some surrounding areas. These are strengths because they make our city more attractive to those who may be considering a move to this area, Ellwood City in particular.

If elected, what would you hope would be key accomplishments of the board during your years of service? The improvement of our infrastructure, bringing more businesses into our community, and the stabilization of tax rates.

Do you think our main street/downtown is healthy and successful? If not, what would you do to change that? Our downtown is steadily becoming healthier and more successful.  We are moving in the right direction.

How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our town? Council needs to listen to and respect the opinions of all residents relative to issues coming before council.

If elected, what three steps would you take to put our city on a firmer financial footing? 1. Encourage an atmosphere of fiscal responsibility in all departments. 2. Continue to apply for grant money. 3. Seek out the most profitable institutions for our investments.

If you received a $1 million grant to use for the city any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why? I would use some of the money towards the purchase of upgraded equipment for the Fire Department such as a new ladder truck and also towards equipment for the Public Works Department. I would also make improvements to the “eye sore” at the north side end of the 5th St bridge and erect new and attractive signs at the entrances to the borough (which I am currently working on).  Why?  Because it will provide a good “first impression” when entering our town.  Reestablish neighborhood playgrounds. Why?  It would give all children the opportunity to play somewhere withing walking distance of their home.

George J. Celli

Family: Son Steven & his wife Kayla

Employment: Retired from Aetna Standard Engineering Co. Worked in Export Sales and Accounting

Experience: Presently serving on Ellwood City Borough Council. Council President. Currently serving as President of the Lawrence County Industrial Development Authority, and a member of the Ellwood City Revitalization (ECR). Robert Morris University, bachelor’s degree in business administration.

What neighborhood do you live in? I live in the Fifth Ward currently. I was born and raised in the Third Ward of Ellwood City. Why? I was looking for a ranch house due to my disability of having Multiple Sclerosis. Living near the park has great access to community events and the neighborhood I live in is near other family and friends.Favorite places in town: The park, downtown, or anywhere with family and friends. I enjoy The Fourth of July Festival, Wander Ellwood Open Street Nights, and Light Up Night.

What makes a good city council member? My experience is beneficial to council, being able to work with others on council and listen with an open mind to those who come to council meetings. I know and understand that at times the needs and wants of many, outweigh the wants and needs of a few.

What do you think are the three biggest issues facing our town right now? What solutions do you have to offer to resolve those issues?

1. Continued upgrading of the borough’s infrastructure. Recently, Borough Council addressed one phase of our infrastructure the aging sewer lines on the North Side area near Wampum Ave. The aging sewer lines will be replaced at no cost to the taxpayer. Borough Council, applied for and received a $6,000,000 grant from PENNVEST. With this money being from a grant, it doesn’t need repaid, meaning this project will not cost the taxpayers a cent. All while making a major improvement to the Borough’s infrastructure.
2. Another issue of concern was the closing of the Ellwood City Hospital. Borough Council, along with funding from the Ellwood City Health Foundation Board grant, started the Advanced Life Support (ALS) program. The borough now provides 24-hour emergency first responder medical coverage with an on-duty paramedic stationed at the Ellwood City Fire Department to respond to medical emergencies in the borough.
3. Lastly, declining revenue from the tax base. With costs going up for materials and services along with the rising cost of wages, benefits, other insurances for services provided to the borough residents, our tax revenues have stayed the same. Keeping property taxes low while maintaining efficient services will remain the number one goal for our residents.

Why do you want to be a council member? I feel I can contribute to the betterment of the community based on my education, experience in business management, and committees and boards I have served on. I am a lifelong resident of the town and understand where our town has been and what it is growing into.  It is full of great people, and I hope to be a part of it growing and developing.

Is there a particular issue that motivates you to serve? I enjoy serving the public and I feel I can contribute to make Ellwood a better place to live. It is important to me to see the town grow for our future, expanding with new events and businesses, and keeping up with its infrastructure to prevent future problems. It is also important to make sure that these things are done all while trying to prevent tax increases.

What particular experiences or skills have prepared you to serve? My education and work background in accounting allows me to understand the importance of proper budgeting and taxation. During my experience on Borough Council, I have served on every committee of council, I have worked with past and present council members for the betterment of the community. Through my experiences I have made connections throughout the town and throughout the county to help with ongoing and future projects.

In what community activities/organizations have you been involved? I am currently a member of the Ellwood City Revitalization committee (ECR), a member of the Ellwood City Wolves Club and was a member of the Ellwood City Jaycee’s for over twenty years.

What differentiates you from the other candidates and/or council members? I believe my current and past experiences and leadership roles. I have served on council as Council President, which is elected by my peers, and this is a position I don’t take lightly as my peers have entrusted me to lead council.  We all want what is best for the city. I am involved in leadership roles in different organizations; President of the National Wolves Club for three years and I am currently President of the Lawrence County Industrial Development Authority. I understand my due diligence in serving our town with integrity and honesty and hope to continue that opportunity. I also understand that the role of a council member is not to be taken frivolously.

As a council member, where would you look to make budget cuts? As I previously stated, keeping property taxes low while maintaining efficient services will remain my number one goal for our residents. I would look on making cuts, but I will always consider the impact on cutting services to our residents and community. I would first urge the Borough Manager to find and secure grants like the Wampum Ave. project. We have been very successful in obtaining grants for many projects in our community. In doing so we are able to maintain the upkeep of the town without any budget cuts.

How would you handle the requests, if approached, by an individual?  Special interest groups? I would listen to them and then request that they meet with the Borough Manager to determine how these requests could benefit the community. Then, he can bring it to all of council so all of council can discuss it. Many good ideas come from residents such as the skateboard park and the new pickleball courts. New ideas and growth of the town is a team effort.

What are 2-3 strengths of which our town can be proud? Why do you see these as strengths?

1. The growth in our downtown, especially the Fifth Street corridor area with companies that want to come here like Sheetz and Dunkin, along with the other small businesses filling the downtown area. Events such as Wander Ellwood allow for our community to come together and gives businesses a time to showcase what they provide our town.
2. Our public safety is one of our strongest assets. The Police Department for the last 10 years has helped maintain very low crime and is one of the safest communities in the area, keeping our neighborhoods, schools, parks and downtown safe. The Fire Department provides excellent fire services and recently added the ALS (Advanced Life Support) service, which provides 24 hour a day first responder emergency medical care to our community.
3. Our parks are second to none for a small community. We have a pool, Kids Creative Kingdom, skateboard park, basketball court, deck hockey rink, tennis courts and soon to be built pickleball courts, ball fields and the picnic area is beautiful. This is wonderful for growing families in our area and to bring others to move into town.

If elected, what would you hope would be key accomplishments of the board during your years of service? Keep improving and funding our infrastructure like the sewer line Wampum Ave. project. We’ve already made major improvements to our infrastructure with a new Public Works Building, a new Electric Substation, and a state-of-the-art Wastewater Facility. I would hope to see continued funding of the street paving project. The Ellwood City Fire Department is in need of a new ladder (arial) truck at a cost of roughly two million dollars we must work on funding for that truck.

Do you think our main street/downtown is healthy and successful? If not, what would you do to change that? Yes, I do think main street/ downtown area is healthy and becoming stronger. It is growing every day. As I mentioned earlier the 5th Street corridor is a shining example of growth. Recently, Borough Council has awarded grants for the funding of downtown façade to existing businesses. With the recently built Color Center/Signs by Sam/Thought Processing building is another example of the growth in our business district. Another nice thing to see is all the small retailers opening places up. Our town is full of great people who are always coming up with new business ideas for small businesses and it’s great to see them thriving. There is always room for more growth.

How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our town? First and foremost, I would tell them get involved in something you have a passion for. The borough has many advisory boards and commissions that vacancies exist, and we are in need of people to fill these vacancies. As always, we provide a visitor section at all of our meetings, where residents are always welcome to have input. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking at a meeting, my telephone is available to anybody in the community, or you can call or come in and talk to the Borough Manager. As I previously stated, many good suggestions and ideas have come from residents. They are the eyes and ears of the community! They are always welcomed!

If elected, what three steps would you take to put our city on a firmer financial footing?

1. Previous Borough Council elected not to operate with a Borough Manager. I have been instrumental in hiring and maintaining a Borough Manager since 2018. Having a Borough Manager in the office daily is crucial to operating the borough in an efficient manner on a daily basis. Fortunately, all the Borough Managers since 2018 have been local to the community and have a firm grip on the needs of the Borough.
2. Continue to maintain efficient operations in all department-Public Safety, Street, Wastewater Treatment, and Electric operations in the Borough.
3. Continue to seek out grants for funding of major projects in the Borough. Having a strong Borough Manager for grant writing is essential.

If you received a $1 million grant to use for the city any way you  wanted, what would you do with it and why? As previously stated, continued funding of our infrastructure, or funding towards a new fire ladder (Arial) truck for the Fire Department. These improvements towards our town benefit everyone to enjoy Ellwood City and maintain the ability for it to be protected and safe.

Caleb Cragle

Family: Caleena (Daughter), Alysia (Fiancée) and Alivia (Bonus Daughter)

Employment: Data Analyst

Former Experience, Roles, and Years Serving on Ellwood City Council: I have served on Ellwood City Council for 3 years out of a 4-year term. In my 3 years I have been privileged to serve as chair of the Parks and Rec committee and the Technology Committee. I have also been a part of numerous other committees involving public safety and community development.

What neighborhood do you live in? Why? Where are your favorite places to spend time in our town?  I live in the Beaver County portion of Ellwood City on what some may know as Chicken Coop Hill. I chose Ellwood City because it is home. Ellwood City has the feel of small town living while offering so much more. My favorite places to spend time in town are the parks, small businesses, and fine eateries (Support Local!).

What makes a good city council member? A good council member should be available to the community, easily accessible, and most importantly allow the residents of Ellwood City to be heard. As a councilman, I made myself available and listened to the concerns expressed on many forums. These concerns are being heard, and all concerns brought to my attention were acknowledged and taken care of in a timely manner.

What do you think are the three biggest issues facing our town right now? What solutions do you have to offer to resolve those issues?  1. The downtown infrastructure above and below ground. We should begin looking at correcting these issues; preferably with a multimodal grant or realigning it with the Beautification project that has been paused. 2. We need to market the borough better. We, as a community, have so much more to offer than the banality of attacking the electric company. We need to celebrate the good while trying to correct the issues we face within our community. We need to do a better job in advertising the positives of our community. This will help stimulate individuals to move into our community and encourage business owners to develop and stay in our community, which in return will grow our tax base. 3. Stagnation. We must keep pushing for growth and development to get new and fresh perspectives on council.  There is a consensus that too many are comfortable with the status quo.

Why do you want to be a council member? I’d like to be re-elected because I feel like I have more to give the community. I still have ideas and plans I want to finish and implement. Moreover, I enjoy serving the community and being a part of the growth taking place in Ellwood City.

Is there a particular issue that motivates you to serve? I am driven by the desire to see Ellwood City thrive, grow, and develop. I want to be a part of the next generation of decision makers and to draw in younger candidates in hopes that bring fresh and new outlooks to council chambers.

What particular experiences or skills have prepared you to serve? I have 3 years experience serving on council. I am skilled in communication and try to use this to disseminate information to the public as often as possible.

In what community activities/organizations have you been involved? Most recently, I spearheaded the conception of Wander Ellwood, now run by the chamber and a committee. I am on numerous council committees and have served under Sam Pawlowski as an admin to Christmas in the Park.  I have also volunteered with the Kitchen Cabinet on many of their service projects.

What differentiates you from the other candidates and/or council members? I try to be more hands-on in the community. I am relatively new and bring with me a fresh and new outlook on the community, pushing growth and development for our borough.

As a council member, where would you look to make budget cuts? I see no way to improve Ellwood City by starting with cutting the budget. In the past three years I have looked over the budget and seen some areas that could be reduced and allocated elsewhere in the budget; however, we haven’t had a need to raise taxes because we have been mindful of how money is spent. One thing I believe we need to do more often is look for grants to propel our community projects.

How would you handle the requests, if approached, by an individual?  Special interest groups? I have no allegiance to an individual or special interest group – only to the citizens of Ellwood City. Any request that is communicated to me would in turn be communicated to the rest of the city council for consideration. Whether it be an individual or special group, if they have the best interest of this community, I will seek support in their favor from fellow council to push forward inventive and beneficial ideas.

What are 2-3 strengths of which our town can be proud? Why do you see these as strengths? Ellwood’s culture and traditions. These still resonate in our community, and this is why many former residents continue to come back when events take place like the arts and craft festival or find their way back when they have moved away. Our nonprofit groups are another strength as they work together tirelessly to pull the community in the same direction for the benefit of Ellwood City Borough.

If elected, what would you hope would be key accomplishments of the board during your years of service? I would like to continue the work I have started this term and build on the communication from Borough Council to the community. I would also like to continue the collaboration efforts with our chamber of commerce and other organizations and businesses to help grow Ellwood City.

Do you think our main street/downtown is healthy and successful? If not, what would you do to change that? Over the past 3 years we have seen great improvements to our downtown area. Young entrepreneurs are filling our store fronts with successful businesses, but there is still work to do to attract and fill the remaining open spaces. The council needs better communication and working conditions with our State Rep, The County Commissioners or any other firm that can get a grant for the revitalization of downtown, such as The Lawrence County Economic Development.

How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our town? I would like to continue to bridge the gap of communication between council and residents. I have worked on getting information out to the community and have also made myself available to answer questions. I can make myself much more available than I currently am, but believe it is important to remain committed to being here for our community.

If elected, what three steps would you take to put our city on a firmer financial footing? 1. Work with the borough manager, department heads and the rest of the council on the budget line by line to see what can be done without jeopardizing the wellbeing of the departments and borough. 2. When contracts are up, I want to negotiate contracts that are fair to both the employees and the taxpayers. 3. When the borough is paying a contractor or service provider, we are holding these entities accountable for the service they are providing and not allowing the taxpayers to be taken advantage of.

If you received a $1 million grant to use for the city any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why? I would like to delegate some funds to our infrastructure downtown. Use any remaining to complete pending projects and correct storm water draining issues.

William B. Weller

Family: Kayla, Konner, Kamdyn Weller

Employment: Self-employed (Owner of Tony’s Beer Distributor)

Former Experience, Roles, and Years Serving on Ellwood City Council: Owner and operator of a local business.

What neighborhood do you live in? Why? Where are your favorite places to spend time in our town? I live on Plymouth Lane in Ellwood. We recently moved because of the area; we loved it so much for many years. I like that we live close to the football field and park. I like that it’s a small neighborhood with friendly neighbors where you can feel safe. My wife and I love taking our kids to eat at the local restaurants like 2nd ward sanctuary and getting ice cream at our kids favorite spot, Berry’s ice cream. We also really like just taking walks around the town and our neighborhood.

What makes a good city council member? A person who strives to make the community better for everybody.

What do you think are the three biggest issues facing our town right now? What solutions do you have to offer to resolve those issues? The three biggest issues I believe in the community right now are one the hospital being shut down; the closest hospital is 30 minutes away. Second, the vacant buildings that either need tore down or restored. Third, not having enough activities for the kids not only in the winter but even the summer as well.

Why do you want to be a council member? I have lived in Ellwood all my life. I now have a business that I have operated for three years so I get to talk to so many members of the community on things they think might need improved or suggestions for the town. I love the town and people that have shaped me and my family and I think I would be an asset.

Is there a particular issue that motivates you to serve? Being a part of something bigger than myself or just my business. Helping our community not just survive but to thrive and make Ellwood a place people are proud to call home for generations to come.

What particular experiences or skills have prepared you to serve? I have been working with the community for over three years. We have donated to numerous fundraisers, local sports, and benefits. I am in charge of all budgeting and have been completely committed to my customers.

In what community activities/organizations have you been involved? Local sport donations, club hope fundraisers, sponsoring multiple children for extracurricular activities. Sponsoring small business Saturday elf on the shelf scavenger hunt. Our goal when opening Tony’s was to give back. We are so appreciative for the love this town has showed us.

What differentiates you from the other candidates and/or council members? I have the ability to work as a team and make a decision based on facts and not feelings.

As a council member, where would you look to make budget cuts? It would all depend on where the money is going as of now.

How would you handle the requests, if approached, by an individual?  Special interest groups? I am a very good listener and like to solve problems, I would be eager to hear any suggestions to make our town as amazing as it could be.

What are 2-3 strengths of which our town can be proud? Why do you see these as strengths? To say this town is loyal would be an understatement. This town has shown up and shown out for so many people but one closest to us, would be our #belikechuck fundraiser. Chuck Crawley was loved by this town, and they came and proved that- raising $7,000 in 2 hours through the Tony’s Beer drive thru for our dear friend Chuck who sadly lost his battle of Cancer shortly after. This towns strength is that we are small, and the local people can make a difference in lives that we actually know.

If elected, what would you hope would be key accomplishments of the board during your years of service? Making changes that matter and hopefully make a positive impact.

Do you think our main street/downtown is healthy and successful? If not, what would you do to change that? I think it has absolutely improved over that last few years but could be better by doing some slight budling improvements.

How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our town? I would love for them to know that I’m up to listen when I’m at Tony’s Beer. I would be willing to sit down and have meetings if necessary and warranted, but I would also like for them to be able to email with matters that concern them.

If elected, what three steps would you take to put our city on a firmer financial footing? I would try to eliminate any bad debts and start investing to help build our community up. I would try to get the community more involved in fundraisers that go directly to improving Ellwood.

If you received a $1 million grant to use for the city any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why? Having younger kids of my own age 12 and 14 I see that we need more for the kids to do. Somewhere for them to go and have fun and simply be kids. I think having a location with all year activities like cornhole, pole, pickle ball, etc. where they pay a low member fee. Either having volunteers such as parents working there or hiring local students.

Jimmy Johnson

Family: 3 brothers, 1 sister

Employment: Pastor

Former Experience, Roles, and Years Serving on Ellwood City Council: Although i have no experience on council, I do have experience as a member of various organizations groups and committees.

What neighborhood do you live in? Why? Where are your favorite places to spend time in our town? I live in the first ward, I decided to stay in the Ellwood area because it is a safe place to live compared to other towns, and it’s close to my church. Ewing Park, National Grind coffee shop, Spending time with family and friends.

What makes a good city council member? Good judgment, integrity, humility, and respect for others even if you disagree.

What do you think are the three biggest issues facing our town right now? What solutions do you have to offer to resolve those issues?

1. At times wasteful spending – to be part of a counsel that is efficient, effective, transparent, with fiscal responsibility.
2. Keeping our streets in good condition – dilapidated streets and roads are not just public safety issues, but paved roads attract more people and more activity. strengthening our community, businesses, and our city economy as a whole.
3. Keeping our taxes reasonable

Why do you want to be a council member? I will work hard to make sure every voice is heard. and as a lifelong resident, I want to continue to keep this town a great place to raise a family.

Is there a particular issue that motivates you to serve? The lack of medical professionals and a  medical facility. But I am grateful for the (ALS) program we have.

What particular experiences or skills have prepared you to serve? leadership, management, finance, and many years of community service. The ability to bring people together for a common goal and purpose.

In what community activities/organizations have you been involved? The American Red cross, American Cancer society,  currently on the Ellwood civil service commission board, Ellwood City ministerium.

What differentiates you from the other candidates and/or council members? I have the ability to take control of a project and make sure the team delivers on time, and within budget.

As a council member, where would you look to make budget cuts? I would have to look at the budget and  vote accordingly with common sense keeping in mind it is the taxpayers hard earned money

How would you handle the requests, if approached, by an individual?  Special interest groups? I will absolutely not cater to any person or department.

What are 2-3 strengths of which our town can be proud? Why do you see these as strengths?

1. The Chamber of Commerce – because they do an excellent job bringing the community and the businesses together.
2. I appreciate how the churches get together, especially for worship in the park.
3. The support of our community for our veterans

If elected, what would you hope would be key accomplishments of the board during your years of service? To see the downtown area continue to grow with businesses.

Do you think our main street/downtown is healthy and successful? If not, what would you do to change that? Our town has come a long way, but there are still areas that need looked at and addressed.

How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our town? I would encourage our constituents to attend meetings, and each week walk through neighborhoods and converse with the residence.

If elected, what three steps would you take to put our city on a firmer financial footing? I can only discuss what I have learned, first balance the city’s long-term goals with its short-term goals. balancing the big picture and the city’s day to day needs. (breaking long term goals into short term break throughs)

If you received a $1 million grant to use for the city any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why? It would not be up to one individual, but a collaboration of community, businesses, and council.

John Fraser

Family: Single, no wife or children

Employment: Retired US Army

Former Experience, Roles, and Years Serving on Ellwood City Council: Never served on city council.

What neighborhood do you live in? Why? Where are your favorite places to spend time in our town? I live down in the park.  Growing up, it was always my favorite place in town because it had the swimming pool and the ball fields.  After retiring from my career in the Army I started house hunting in Ellwood and was happy to find a little house for sale in the park.

What makes a good city council member? I think a good council member is someone who becomes very knowledgeable in all the issues that face our city and is able to bring people together to solve those problems.  A good council member is a good problem solver.

What do you think are the three biggest issues facing our town right now? What solutions do you have to offer to resolve those issues? The number one issue for any elected official is the safety and security of the people in their jurisdiction.  Ellwood is still a pretty safe town, but we need to make sure it stays that way and try to make it better. We do that by supporting the mayor, the police, the fire fighters, and paramedics and making sure they have the equipment and backing they need. Number two would be the economy.  As council members we should always strive to make our town a hospitable environment to business and enterprise. We do this by keeping our town safe and secure, maintaining all of our roads, bridges and infrastructure, and keeping taxes and codes at a level that makes Ellwood inviting to a new business and does not cause existing business to consider leaving. Number three would be infrastructure.  It’s not fun or exciting but we have to spend money on our infrastructure in order to keep and maintain everything I mentioned above.  Safety, security, economy, and just plain old quality of life all depend on well-maintained infrastructure.

Why do you want to be a council member? I want to see Ellwood prosper and become an even better town than the one I grew up in.  I believe that council members working together can do a lot of things that will make Ellwood a really great place to live, grow up, raise a family and to live out your later years in grace.

Is there a particular issue that motivates you to serve? Revitalization of the downtown shopping area in Ellwood is the issue that I’m most interested in.

What particular experiences or skills have prepared you to serve? After graduating from Lincoln Highschool, I enlisted in the Army and then served in the Army for 29 years retiring as a master sergeant. While serving in leadership positions in the Army my duties mostly consisted of working with people, planning and problem solving in order to accomplish a given mission.  Though the mission of a city council is different than the mission of a military unit, the skills required to accomplish the mission are the same.

In what community activities/organizations have you been involved? Growing up in Ellwood I played little league baseball as a kid and then later was on the Ellwood City wrestling team.  I was also a cub scout and boy scout here in Ellwood.  was a member of the

What differentiates you from the other candidates and/or council members? During my career in the Army, I lived in a lot of different places in the US, Europe, and the middle east.  I got to see some of the world’s greatest towns and cities and some of the worst.  All together I lived in Europe for 9 years and visited most of its countries and over several deployments I lived in Iraq for a total of three years and visited most of its major cities.  I have a good idea of how great a city and community can be and how important that is and a good idea of how bad a place can get.

As a council member, where would you look to make budget cuts? It’s every council member’s duty to be a good custodian of our city’s money.  We all have to continually review the budget and allocate money responsibly.  I’m currently not familiar enough with the budget to recommend any specific cuts but it is definitely something I’ll be looking into.

How would you handle the requests, if approached, by an individual?  Special interest groups? I’d be happy to listen to any requests of individuals or groups and then look into whether or not their requests are possible or feasible.

What are 2-3 strengths of which our town can be proud? Why do you see these as strengths? Our industries such as the Ellwood City Forge, Hall industries, and American Steel are a critical part of our countries industrial complex, and we should be proud to have such companies here in our town. Our community.  I think we have a really great community for people to live in.

If elected, what would you hope would be key accomplishments of the board during your years of service? The revitalization of Ellwood’s downtown shopping district.

Do you think our main street/downtown is healthy and successful? If not, what would you do to change that? I think it’s moderately successful and is on an upward trajectory.  If I become a council member I would like to work with the chamber of commerce and the local businesses and do what we can to revitalize main street and the downtown area.

How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our town? I think it’s important to talk to residents as much as possible, listen to their ideas and things they’d like to see, and ensure that the plans of the council are in line with what the majority of the people are wanting and expecting.

If elected, what three steps would you take to put our city on a firmer financial footing? I think it’s important to go through the budget line by line and reduce any unnecessary or wasteful spending.  Then we should explore ways of bringing in more money that doesn’t include raising taxes such as street fairs or carnivals etc.  And third, promote more families, businesses, and industries to move to Ellwood which will increase our tax base.

If you received a $1 million grant to use for the city any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why? I would prioritize all of our infrastructure in terms of what needs fixed, repaired, replaced the most and begin fixing the infrastructure until the money ran out.