The League of Women Voters of Centre County 2021 Voter’s Guide continues with candidates for Bellefonte Borough Council and mayor and Bellefonte Area Board of School Directors.
The material in this guide was compiled by the candidates and the League of Women Voters of Centre County (LWVCC) with assistance from the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania. This material may not be altered or reprinted without the permission of the LWVCC. Each candidate’s reply has been printed as submitted by the candidate.
Candidates were invited to participate in the Vote411 online voter’s guide via email. All reasonable efforts were made to encourage candidates to participate. The candidates listed are those whose names appear on the ballot as of Sept. 2 when the ballot was approved by the Pennsylvania Department of State.
Candidates are listed according to their party and then alphabetically. Nothing in this guide should be construed as an endorsement or non-endorsement of any candidate, party or initiative by the League of Women Voters, The Centre County Gazette or StateCollege.com.
Previously:
College, Harris, Patton and Rush Townships
Ferguson Township Supervisors, State College Council and Mayor, SCASD School Board
The League of Women Voters 2021 General Election Voters Guide concludes in the Oct. 28 edition of the Gazette with statewide candidates for judicial offices, as well as the Centre County district attorney candidate and candidate for magisterial district judge at District 49-03-04.
BELLEFONTE BOROUGH COUNCIL — WARD 1
Candidates (choose 2):
Melissa Hombosky
Party: Democratic
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities, and how will you address them?
A: First, I wish to continue to support our local merchants. We are lucky to have a strong business community that has continued to grow despite a global pandemic. As a small business owner myself, I understand the unique challenges that face businesses daily. Second, continue to keep our community safe while we enter the recovery phase of COVID-19. I’m so appreciative of the sacrifices that our friends and neighbors have made to stop the spread. Third, I am chair of our parks committee. Over the past year, our parks system has seen an uptick in resident use and I hope that we can continue that trend. There are so many outdoor recreation activities in our region and some of them start right in our parks. How can we continue to grow these amenities?
Jon Eaton
Party: Democratic
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities, and how will you address them?
A: As a member of council’s finance and human resources committees; I consider budget and taxes; regional integration; and the American Rescue Plan funds to be immediate challenges to Bellefonte. Bellefonte’s real estate tax rates are 4- to 9-times higher than those of the surrounding townships. The 2021 budget document initiates an effort to concisely explain the flow of tax revenue and expenditures. This educational focus must be expanded in the future. Like the collaborative agreements between our water and sewage authorities, integration of the safety and emergency services within Nittany Valley will minimize duplication and provide regional coverage of services. This is a direct solution to the regional imbalance in real estate taxes. Bellefonte will distribute $617,000 in COVID relief funds in 2021. This will require maximum transparency and compliance with federal guidelines. It’s a tremendous opportunity to fund deferred projects and provide relief to the community.
Rita Purnell
Party: Republican
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities, and how will you address them?
A: I believe that as an elected government official, it would be my duty and honor to listen to my constituents’ concerns and make decisions on their behalf based on the best interests of the people and the borough. I will make myself available to hear their concerns. I believe that in order for the people to have faith in their government, information about issues to be discussed and decisions to be made needs to be freely available. I will make sure that this information is made available to the people in a timely manner and in as many areas as possible. I believe that as a borough council member, it would be my duty to be as careful with the budget of the borough as I would be with my own budget. I will be diligent in the quest to save the borough money while still providing the best services possible.
Kent D. Bernier
Party: Republican
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities, and how will you address them?
A: 1. To bring the priorities of our residents to borough council. I want to represent the residents and be a voice for my neighbors. 2. To keep things simple and to apply common sense to our decisions. I have spent my career trying to apply common sense to some of the most difficult situations. I want to help do that on borough council. 3. I would like to better understand what goes into the decisions that are being made within council. To try and better understand, I’m running for office. My goal is to get elected and have a voice in the process.
BELLEFONTE BOROUGH COUNCIL — WARD 2 — TWO-YEAR
Candidates (choose 1):
Randall Brachbill
Party: Republican
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities, and how will you address them?
A: 1. Pedestrian safety: I encouraged the hiring of an engineering firm to complete a study of downtown crosswalks and street lighting with the goal of applying for a Penn-DOT permit for crosswalk improvements. I support our planning commission working with the engineering firm for long-term street improvement.
2. Revenues and expenses: I support: the 2021 budget of cutting expenses with no tax increase; council avoiding the funding of non-budgeted requests; the sale of two acres of armory property to provide additional tax revenue; and approval of a strategic management plan for more effective local government. 3. Bringing Bellefonte back to normal: I support restaurants having assigned parking stalls for curbside pickup; park activities where people gather while maintaining social distancing; masking; people receiving COVID-19 vaccines; continuing current borough employee COVID-19 protocols; and state COVID-19 guidelines that protect the health and safety of residents and businesses.
Mary Abbott
Party: Democratic
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities, and how will you address them?
A: Bellefonte has become a much more vibrant small town in the 15 years that I have lived here. I want to see that trend continue by ensuring that Bellefonte is friendly to both pedestrians and small businesses. I would also like to see Bellefonte promote and maintain its beauty and Victorian charm. I believe that the upcoming project at the Diamond is an opportunity to make the town both more lovely and more pedestrian friendly. I know that change isn’t always easy, but the proposed projects are intended to make pedestrians more visible to motorists and to open up more area at the Diamond for landscaping, plantings and outdoor gathering and eating. By creating a town that is safe and inviting for visitors and residents alike, the downtown businesses will benefit. In addition, I would work towards continuing collaboration between the borough and DBI (Downtown Bellefonte, Inc.) and the chamber of commerce to support and promote the great events that bring people to our enchanting town.
BELLEFONTE BOROUGH COUNCIL — WARD 3
Candidates (choose 2):
Jeffrey J. Puhala
Party: Republican
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities, and how will you address them?
A: I have lived in Bellefonte Borough, Ward 3, since 2005. My career in public education has spanned 21 years giving me the necessary skills to serve the general public. I am the father of two young daughters and want to assure they continue to grow up in a safe and vibrant community. If elected to Bellefonte Borough Council I will focus on three priorities: 1. Support police funding: I will support an annual budget that fully funds law enforcement to ensure a safe community. 2. Support local businesses: I will support business zoning to encourage small business growth and reasonable parking fees for residents and visitors of Bellefonte. 3. Fair citizen representation: I will support the development of new communication methods to ensure every resident is aware of proposed ordinances and other action items to encourage public comment before a final vote.
Shawna McKean
Party: Democratic
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities, and how will you address them?
A: Historic preservation: I would address this by encouraging investment in the rehabilitation and reuse of historic buildings. I would like to incorporate a beautification program for the business section of Bellefonte with plantings and window boxes. Business development: I envision Bellefonte developing an artsy vibe with small town charm. Small shops offering a variety of goods that appeals to a mixture of people. I would love to develop a dog park similar to Tudek Park for residents and weekend visitors. Community events: I would work to bring events to Bellefonte to engage people and promote tourism. The possibilities for a town as rich in history as Bellefonte are limitless. I would encourage the advertisement of historic walking tours, including Bellefonte’s part in the Underground Railroad. I would seek out opportunities to bring new ideas and events such as a psychic fair, a wine and food festival and art exhibits in Talleyrand Park, to name a few.
Johanna Sedgwick
Party: Democratic
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities, and how will you address them?
A: No response.
BELLEFONTE BOROUGH MAYOR
Candidates (choose 1):
Gene D. Johnson, Jr.
Party: Republican
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities, and how will you address them?
A: My name is Gene Johnson Jr., but you may know me as “Buddy” Johnson. I am proud to be running for the office of mayor of Bellefonte. I have dedicated the past 21 years to educating our youth within the Bellefonte Area and it is my wish to continue to be an integral part of our community by looking out for the well being and best interests of all. If elected, my top priorities would be bridging the gap between our community and the borough council, as well as the police department. I will do my part to help ensure that we continue to live in a safe, comfortable community. I will work tirelessly to help ensure that all community members are heard and are as proud as I am to reside in the Borough of Bellefonte.
BELLEFONTE AREA BOARD OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS
Candidates (choose 4):
Rodney E. Musser
Party: Democratic
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities, and how will you address them?
A: Funding the needs of the district while respecting the community’s pocketbook. This process of managing our annual budget is difficult given the annual last minute unknowns from the state and federal governments. Fortunately we have an exceptionally good budget office. We have been able to upgrade our facilities on a regular schedule but we need to remain within our borrowing capacity and maintain our AAA bond rating which allows us to borrow at a favorable rate and save money for the community. Our graduates will enter a global economy and we need to provide them with a broad perspective of the world. We must continue to focus on inclusion, diversity and equity education if we are to grow as a community and give our staff and students a better understanding of issues both here and abroad. The board of directors must be willing to lead the way in this discussion.
Jon Guizar
Party: Republican
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities, and how will you address them?
A: 1. Learning gaps: I look forward to encouraging the administration to explore alternate methods of identifying the learning gaps now deepened by the pandemic and supporting/voting to allocate the resources needed to address these gaps. 2. Aging buildings: Our elementary project has been put on hold due to the events of the past year. As a civil engineer and senior project manager in construction, I believe I am well positioned to get that project back on track and communicate concerns as well as opportunities to the administration to bring the project to a safe and timely completion. 3. Charter reform: I will stand strong with other members of the board and the district as we work to bring understanding and change to cyber and charter school funding. I am not opposed to charter schools but I do believe strongly that they should be held to the same rules and financial accountability as our district. Successful charter reform could save the district a substantial amount of money.
Jeffrey Scott Steiner
Party: Democratic/Republican
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities, and how will you address them?
A: Four years ago I ran on building a track and renovating Rogers Stadium and am so grateful that we were able to accomplish this. We have initiated the process of upgrading our elementary schools and I very much would hope to use my experience with the track and stadium to help see this project through. We similarly need to ensure the availability of advanced technology for all students to ensure equal educational access. As we start to come out from under COVID-19 we need to refocus on addressing mainstream learning gaps at all levels, which have increased due to the pandemic, as well as enhancing the identification of special needs and gifted students, with an easier and quicker path for testing and IEP development. Finally, ensuring the education of the whole student to include, but not limited to fine arts, clubs, athletic and non-athletic opportunities.
Jack Bechdel II
Party: Republican
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities, and how will you address them?
A: I would promote civil discussion versus heated hostility among board members. A sense of unity is necessary for the benefit of the students. I believe that music and art programs help develop young minds and expand their thinking. Preserving these will prepare our students to face their future better. In light of the pandemic, we need to do a better job at educating our children when challenges arise that disrupt their normal classroom studies. Online classes have to deal with more distractions for the students and make it difficult for the teachers to determine if the students are actively participating.
Jordan Emely
Party: Democratic
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities, and how will you address them?
A: 1) Equitable education: The debate surrounding the Red Raider mascot has shown more of the cracks within our curriculum and the depth we need to go in the classroom over what the mascot of the district should be. Equitable education is important to ensure that we are preparing students to go into the world with the knowledge they need to be caring and contributing members of society. Finally, an argument against stripping the name Red Raiders has been “educate not eradicate.” If this is something the community is truly passionate about, we need to enhance our education to be equitable to all races and their experiences.
2) Accessibility: As a member of the board, I will research opportunities to expand broadband to areas that don’t have it, and advocate for policies such as universal prek, and universal free and reduced lunch. 3) Listen to the constituents: give students space to ask for change within the school. They are the ones that we vote on behalf of, and they deserve a voice.
Andrea Royer
Party: Democratic/Republican
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities, and how will you address them?
A: If elected to the Bellefonte school board, my top three priorities are: To look at identification and testing regulations for special needs and gifted students. Often times students get overlooked, resulting in delays with testing, proper placement and IEPs. Better processes are needed to assure that every student experiences success in education. To investigate the availability of advanced technology for all. This would include further training for our staff to teach, prepare and advance our students for the constantly changing world of technology. To advance education of the whole student — that includes opportunities for students to participate in fine arts, clubs, athletics and non-athletics. Our responsibility is to provide the best education and extra-curricular activities that help students grow into well-rounded, young adults, ready to adapt to the world around them.
