The Blair County Republican Party Committee members who represent Tyrone Borough met Thursday to choose candidates for two positions on the municipality’s council.
Earlier this week, Tyrone Borough Council appointed Mark Kosoglow to fill a vacancy created when Sharon Dannaway became borough manager in August. Dannaway had been appointed interim borough manager in January and had taken a leave of absence from her council seat. When she was appointed to fill the borough manager’s position permanently, she was required to resign her council seat.
Kosoglow was the only applicant for the vacancy and received unanimous approval on Monday. Previously he had run for a four-year term for council in the May Republican primary and fell short of securing a nomination. His appointment to council allows him to serve only through the end of the year.
For Kosoglow to remain on council beyond that time he would need to win election in November for a two-year term. He had said on Monday he planned to let the Republican Party know he wanted to be considered for placement on the ballot.
In the May primary, Brian McManigal had won the Republican nomination for a two-year term created when J.R. Watson resigned late in 2004. Don Boytim had previously been appointed to the seat and won the Democratic nomination in May. McManigal withdrew his nomination after citing health reasons in June. Thus, the November ballot was sans a Republican candidate.
When Tyrone Republican Committee members met on Thursday, they selected two candidates: Stephen M. Hanzir, Jr. and Eric Detwiler. There were three other people who expressed interest in the positions including Kosoglow, Boytim and John Romano.
According to Republican Chairman John Urban, the party was expected to submit nomination certificates yesterday or by Monday with the Blair County’s election board. He said both candidates were required to complete and have notarized a financial disclosure form and a loyalty oath before the nomination process could be completed.
The Democratic Party met on Monday of this week and Chairman Arthur Chamberlain said he announced there was a seat available for a two-year term on borough council. On Friday, he said no one had come forward expressing interest. He said he didn’t expect that to change. However, Democrats and other parties still have until the close of regular business on Monday to submit nomination certificates or papers at the county election office.
On the Democratic side, if no other name is submitted, only Boytim’s will appear on the ballot.
Voters in Tyrone will be asked to select two candidates and write-in votes are always possible. The top two vote-getters will win the election and be seated on council in the first week of January 2006 and serve through 2007.
