- October 19, 2021
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Six candidates are in the race for four, four-year terms on Leetsdale council.
Incumbents Benjimen Frederick (current council vice president) and Osman Awad will face newcomers Beth Carroll, Patricia Lee, Maria Napolitano and Elizabeth Surmacz.
Here are the candidates and their answers to the questions posed by the Sewickley Herald.
Osman Awad
Awad did not respond to requests for information for this article.
Beth Carroll
Age: No response
Political party: Democrat
Education: Bachelor of Arts, John Carroll University
Occupation: Currently, the majority of my time is dedicated to being a stay-at-home mom to two daughters, one in middle school and in preschool. I am also President of Sheridan and Dose Investment Co. We are a women-owned business that focuses on small, local and women-owned businesses primarily in the sustainability and renewable energy sector.
If elected, what are two short-term goals? To improve the communication between residents and council. I will ensure all of our borough council meetings will be available livestreamed via Zoom and recorded for those who need to watch at a later time. I want to give residents the option to participate in a survey (online or mail-in) that ranks their biggest concerns, issues and improvement ideas. Once these areas of need and concern are determined, I’d like to develop communities of support to effectively address the issue and provide resolutions.
The second of my short-term goals is to address the improvement needs of Henle Park. I have said before that Henle is such an important community space for Leetsdale families. I feel it is a regional asset as well. By investing in new playground equipment and our summer parks programs, revitalizing our basketball courts, bringing back movies in the park and the Children’s Garden, we can continue Henle’s great tradition as a center for fun, fellowship and service in Leetsdale.
If elected, what is one long-term goal? To address the physical needs of our community – creating a secondary point of ingress and egress for our Washington Street neighbors; addressing the safety issues caused by abandoned houses and unkempt properties; and finding ways through grants and volunteer efforts to help neighbors in need with food insecurity, transportation to appointments, setting up technology of computers, phones, et cetera.
How do you plan to communicate with constituents and involve them in the decision-making process? I will ensure all residents have my contact information sent to them as well as have it posted on the borough website. Canvassing has been a wonderful opportunity to meet neighbors and hear their concerns. I plan to continue this as walk-about check-ins to give people the chance to let me know what is on their minds. Inclusion for all of my neighbors in their local government is such an important issue for me. I am running to be a representative of their needs, issues and concerns and to help them find answers, solutions and to always feel heard. The best way to accomplish this is to be accessible.
Benjimin Frederick
Frederick did not respond to requests for information for this article.
Patricia Lee
Age: 55
Political party: Name appears on both Democrat and Republican ballot
Education: Quaker Valley High School graduate, B.S. University of Maryland, M.A. Regent University
Occupation: Human resources professional
If elected, what are two short-term goals? To ensure transparency of council actions and to ensure there is appropriate representation for all members of the community.
If elected, what is one long-term goal? Leetsdale is a great community of people, where individuals’ votes spoke loudly in the primary that they want change. My goal is to build on that energy, and the strong pride that the Leetsdale residents have in their community. Use this energy and pride to enhance our connections with one another and our surrounding communities. An example of this is our annual 4th of July celebration – what an opportunity to create positive relationships with local businesses and volunteer organizations, and to highlight the parks, the tree-lined walkable neighborhoods and many other resources that make Leetsdale a wonderful community to live in and be a part of.
How do you plan to communicate with constituents and involve them in the decision-making process? As a human resources professional, I’m used to communicating with a community that has diverse needs. To reach as many constituents as possible, I plan to have a number of events that will provide opportunities for constituents to express and share their concerns. These will be at the very least, quarterly events. I hope to partner with the borough committees and other council members to make these events as inclusive and productive as possible. I am here to represent the many voices of the Leetsdale community, so I say to the constituents of Leetsdale, feel free to walk alongside me if you see me walking, or take a seat with me on my front porch. Your voice is important.
Maria Napolitano
Age: 45
Political party: Republican
Education: University of Pennsylvania, master’s in biology
Occupation: Homemaker, home educator and community volunteer
If elected, what are two short-term goals? Ensure Leetsdale has a say in the future of Quaker Valley High School. I have five children, two of whom are QVHS graduates. A new high school building is expected to be sited uphill from the houses above Beaver. As secretary of the Leetsdale Planning Commission, I’ve examined applications related to the proposed high school. While most of the debate is taking place in the Leet Zoning Board, Leetsdale cannot afford an abandoned building, disruption of traffic on Beaver and flooding issues. My goal is to ensure QVSD does right by Leetsdale. The safety of our residents is paramount.
I also want to see a fresh review of the borough’s budget. Our approach to financing and taxation needs to match our priorities. There are 196 businesses in Leetsdale, employing thousands of people. We are home to everything from the region’s food market to manufacturing companies and an award-winning beauty spa. Leetsdale’s businesses are a cornerstone for the whole QV area. Temporary taxes, such as the road tax, should be phased out. The tax revenue generated must first and foremost support our resident’s needs.
If elected, what is one long-term goal? We need to implement a plan that guides future growth in Leetsdale, a legal requirement that we have not maintained. Leetsdale is a close-knit community of working families and retirees, across generations, with affordable houses in a solid school district. The borough’s Municipal Master Plan has not been updated since the 1980s and must be re-built by listening to people who live here. Priorities I identified from talking to Leetsdale residents include the possibility of a commercial buffer zone between Washington Street and the heavy industry area. Saving the trees is another important initiative. In Henle Park, many of our mature and rare trees are aging. We need to inventory them, identify those in danger, and figure out a plan to replace them. Finally, our volunteers make Leetsdale a beautiful and livable place. I want to make sure that the council hears their ideas and meets their needs.
How do you plan to communicate with constituents and involve them in the decision-making process? The Master Plan creates a path to survey and engage residents and to discuss what they want their community to be. I pledge to talk to every Leetsdale resident about their priorities. I will work closely with community groups such as the Recreation Board, Fire Department, Garden Club and participate in their vital work. Bringing people together is the most important job of a council member.
Elizabeth Surmacz
Age: 51
Political party: Democrat
Education: Boston Conservatory of Music
Occupation: Actor (member of Actors Equity Association); CSA manager at Sewickley Confectionery; Lyft driver
If elected, what are two short-term goals? Improve communication with council and the neighborhood, and learn everything I possibly can about how to do this job effectively.
If elected, what is one long-term goal? I would like to see Henle Park thrive the way it can and should. Every area of that park needs improvement or new equipment, including a new basketball court. I would love to see a skate park. Yes, I said that – a skate park. Our neighborhood has a large amount of middle school-age kids and they need a good place to skateboard and scooter that isn’t borough property, which gets them into trouble. (Can you tell I am the mother of one of those kids?) Being a parent, in general, makes one want to improve Henle Park. It has fallen into a state of disrepair that I don’t understand but want to remedy! My son and I spent the summer touring the greater Pittsburgh area’s skate parks, and I was surprised and delighted by what I found. I think we need to make something awesome happen in Leetsdale!
How do you plan to communicate with constituents and involve them in the decision-making process? Surmacz did not respond to this question.
Katie Green is a Tribune-Review news editor. You can contact Katie at kgreen@triblive.com.
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