Logan Township interviews candidates for vacant seat on board of supervisors

Supervisors listen to candidates’ pitches to fill Jones’ seat

At a special meeting Tuesday, the four current Logan Township supervisors heard pitches from four candidates for the seat left vacant by the recent death of Supervisor Patrick Jones, while also receiving resumes from two candidates who couldn't attend the meeting.

Making oral presentations were Art Albright, Maurice A. Lawruk, Thomas Pringle and Christopher Reighard; with Mike Wachter and Jimmy Lee Fornari submitting resumes.

The supervisors will individually submit their preferences for the replacement supervisor by email to township Manager Tim Brown, who will be looking for a candidate netting three votes -- a result that could take more than one round of submissions, or that might need to wait until the supervisors' regular meeting Thursday, during which the board expects to appoint a new member.

Albright served on the board in the late 1990s.

"All of you know me," he said. "I felt like I needed to step up to the plate once again."

Albright wants to continue the "agenda" pursued by Jones, he said, pointing to Jones' interest in the fire service and his membership in the township's fire service committee. Albright cited a fire study done when he was on the board previously that a state agency held up as an example for other municipalities.

Lawruk cited his wide-ranging work in the construction firm started by his grandfather. The younger Lawruk began sweeping floors at 13, became a carpenter, then was placed in charge of jobs and for the past eight years has worked in the office as a manager, a job which requires him to be responsible for the well-being of company employees, he said.

"I spent my entire life training for positions like these," he said, referring to the board seat.

Pringle served in the Air Force as an avionics technician; then worked for Norfolk Southern as an electrician; then for NS in middle management, then for the firm's police department as an investigator of derailments; then for the NS Locomotive Shop in Juniata, soliciting bids from other companies for the shop to rebuild their locomotives. He's been an EMT and in the fire service for 40 years, he said. He would put aside his personal beliefs and do what's best for the community, he said.

Reighard has been a hospital controller and is currently CEO of Allegheny Lutheran Social Ministries, and a former member of the township planning commission. As a supervisor, he would try "to preserve what we have," he said, and be a "servant leader," looking at issues from all angles.

Wachter has strong leadership and problem-solving skills, sound judgment, an ability to communicate effectively, an ability to balance competing priorities and a willingness to be accountable, he wrote. His priorities would include encouraging responsible growth and development, infrastructure improvements, traffic safety, financial stewardship and transparent communications with other leaders of the township and with residents. He has been a member of the Jaffa Shrine and of the Greater Altoona Career and Tech Center advisory committee.

Fornari cares for the community and wants to make sure it's run responsibly and effectively, he said. He considers ridding the township of drug activity and blight to be pressing priorities.

"I believe in listening to residents," he wrote. He is the co-owner of Fornari Hauling.

The new supervisor would be appointed to serve until the end of 2027, which is after the municipal election that year.

The subsequent four-year term that would finish out Jones' original tenure, beginning in early 2027, will be served by the winner of the 2027 general election, according to Supervisors Chairman Jim Patterson.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.