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Politics & Government

Five Contenders for Oakmont Council Seek Their Party's Nod

Three incumbents and two newcomers are among those on the Republican and Democratic slates for three open seats.

With the various community projects occurring in Oakmont, including the Riverside Park renovation and the former Edgewater Steel Co. site development, five candidates have thown their hats into the upcoming borough council primary with the hopes of aiding the borough in its achievements.

Tim Favo, John Donovan and Elena Colianni are seeking the Republican nominations for the three open council seats, each of which have a four-year term. Nancy Ride and Donna Tessaro are running on the Democratic slate to gain a nomination to run against the Republicans in the general election this fall.

The candidates had a chance to share their positions with Patch:

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Tim Favo, Republican

Oakmont Council President Tim Favo is seeking re-election for a third consecutive term because he wants to continue with the success the current team of council members has had.

“We’re getting some good things done. We have a good group together,” he said.

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Favo said he remembers when Riverside Park renovations were pitched seven years ago and is proud to say that since then, the board has collected a $700,000 fund for the project.

Of the fund, $250,000 came from the council’s decision to change its zoning ordinance and obtaining royalties to gas beneath the parks.

Favo said he is neutral on whether or not he thinks the borough should get involved with TIF funding for the Edgewater redevelopment, however, the borough chose him to be the borough representative for the feasibility investigation.

He also says a major issue facing the borough is road repairs to Allegheny Boulevard.

“We need to see what works logically. We’ve designated what the issues are, and we’re going about it systematically,” he said.

John Donovan, Republican

Incumbent John Donovan, a certified personal accountant and lawyer, is running for re-election to maintain a protective hand on the borough activities.

“I want to make sure some things are completed properly,” he said.

Donovan, owner of John P. Donovan & Associates on Allegheny River Boulevard, has served on council for the past two years after being elected to finish the term of a previous council member. Prior to serving on the board, Donovan was the borough real estate tax collector for four years.

His experience on the board and his work experience as an accountant and tax collector have equipped him for another term on the council, he said.

“I understand how the borough works,” Donovan said. “A lot of people don’t understand the legal mechanics of it."

Donovan, 48, has been the single council member refusing to examine the feasibility of a TIF (tax increment financing) proposal to help fund housing development at the former Edgewater Steel Co. site. His disapproval for this type of funding is a driving force in his run for re-election.

“(TIF) is not intended for millionaire developers developing homes for millionaires,” he said.

Developers Brooks and Blair propose constructing River’s Edge, an upscale housing development along the Allegheny River that would include 100 residential units, condos and townhouses. Through TIF, the developers would be refunded the incremental increase in taxes compared to when the property was purchased to help finance development costs at the same location.

Donovan has voted against the TIF-related proposals each time they have surfaced at council meetings, but in February, the board voted 6-1 to approve studying how $6 million in future taxes would benefit funding the proposed housing development.

While the borough has agreed to study the proposed subsidy, they have not yet agreed to participate in the subsidy.

“It’s not done; it’s not close to done. It’s going to take a while,” Donovan said.

Donovan also wants to serve another term on the board to break up the core of people who have been serving on the board for so long. He said some “self-dealing” decision-making has occurred with council board members.

“Oakmont’s been run by the same core people for 40 years, and they really run it to their benefits,” Donovan said, referring to Oakmont Council President Tim Favo and his family.

“I just want the borough in accordance with the borough code, which really has been superseded because the people have been on board for so long,” he said.

Donovan, a Philadelphia native, relocated to the borough with his wife, Janet, who was born and raised in Oakmont. The couple has three sons: Matthew and JP, both 8; and Joseph, 11.

Elena Colianni, Republican

Elena Colianni said her diverse career background would benefit her if elected onto council.

“I have a background not only in law, but in business and real estate, and I thought my background would give me a good perspective on issues that come up before council,” she said.

Colianni, an attorney for her father and brother’s overseas law firm, has been living in Oakmont for 15 years, and she said there is a charm to Oakmont that she wants to help preserve as a council member.

While Colianni, 46, has not previously been on council, she is a member of both the borough’s Property Maintenance Board of Appeals and the Uniform Construction Code Board of Appeals.

Colianni has been attending board meetings regularly since September, reporting for the Garden Club.

Colianni said safety in the borough is a paramount issue, including making and keeping Oakmont a drug-free community.

“We have to be on our guard, for our children particularly,” said Colianni, who has a 14-year-old son, Dominic.

Another issue facing council is the limited parking on Allegheny Boulevard, she said. If elected, Colianni plans to continue studying traffic flow in the area.

Nancy Ride, Democrat

Councilwoman Nancy Ride, who is running for a second consecutive term on council, said her four-year experience grasping the inner workings of local government would make her a more effective member if re-elected.

“I feel like I’ve done the learning curve,” she said.

Ride, a paralegal for Bookman Harmon Marks, chaired the borough finance committee during her first two years on council.

During her term, Ride, 59, also initiated the borough’s decision to refinance its bonds. By doing so, the borough received $138,000, which represented a savings on the interest payments. That money is now being used as part of the 2011 general road program, she said.

Ride, who earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Wittenberg University in Ohio, said her knowledge of past council decisions and her experience with the borough finances qualify her for council re-election.

“I’m able to build on knowledge that I’ve gained,” Ride said.

Some of the local issues she wants to tackle if re-elected include repairing road infrastructures, especially the Allegheny Boulevard, said Ride, who was previously chairman of the Oakmont Boulevard Committee. She said the borough recently met with Brick Association members to learn ways to repair local roads.

She also said it’s important to support local businesses and their liability within the community.

Riverside Park renovation is also important to Ride.

Ride is in favor of exploring how TIF could work for the community, and would like the borough to support funding for the Edgewater site developers, such as Brooks and Blair, if possible.

“I think this is a respectable builder with a very attractive design,” Ride said.

By bringing more residents into the borough, the development could add value to the community, she said.

Other developers in that section of Oakmont are using other forms of public and county assistance to fund their projects, the councilwoman said.

“I’d like to kind of give this developer that same benefit, if we can,” she said.

 

Donna Tessaro, Democrat

Democrat Donna Tessaro has never before run for political office but is eager to help the borough solve problems while at the same time learning how local politics works.

While venturing into politics is new for the 66-year old, Tessaro said Oakmont Council has room for a member with some "age experience."

Her upkeep of current events and abilities to research and problem-solve qualify her to serve on the borough council, she said.

“I’m not litigious. I’m more of a mediator and conciliator,” she said.

Tessaro, a born-and-raised Oakmonter, returned to her hometown in June 2010 after being away for 20 years. While she says some of the things she remembers from her childhood are gone, she said the borough has still maintained its integrity, which she wants to preserve.

“Oakmont gave me a chance to grow up in a town that was ideal, and I care about it,” Tessaro said, “and I want to give back.”

She is excited about the borough’s plans for Riverside Park, but she wants to make sure it will be handicapped accessible. Tessaro is currently on disability.

“I just want to make sure they consider the handicapped when making their plans,” Tessaro said.

Tessaro earned both her bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. Her son and grandchildren live in Texas.

Tessaro was once a special legal assistant for the Pennsylvania Relations Commissions, and she also worked for KDKA.

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