3 seek 2 city council seats
Three candidates are vying for two open seats on Butler's council in the Nov. 6 general election — two newcomers and one former councilman.
The seats are open because incumbent council members Mitch Ufner and Jim Kraus are not running.
Republican Fred Reese, owner of the Monroe Hotel and a member of the Butler Redevelopment Authority, won his place on this election's ballot with a write-in campaign in the May primary.
Joe Bratkovich switched his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat for the primary. He says the Democratic Party at this time "better represents my personal beliefs." The former councilman served three terms, elected each time from the GOP slate, until he was defeated in his bid for another four-year term in 2005.
The ballot is rounded out with first-time candidate Democrat Rick Hardman.
Hardman, 61, who is an architect-designer for Olsen Engineering on Main Street, said he wants to serve on council because he wants "to give something back to the community."
Many would say Hardman already has accomplished that with the World War II monument he designed and continues to work on in Diamond Park on Main Street.
Originally from West Virginia, Hardman was a Navy corpsman in Vietnam in 1968. He has received three degrees from Butler County Community College, which helped him land his current position with Olsen."Through my job I have learned a lot about this community and would like to see a unity of vision as to what the city's future should look like. I want to reach that vision by bringing together elected officials, business owners and city residents," Hardman said, who serves on the Downtown Revitalization Committee.Hardman isn't the only candidate serving the city in a voluntary role.Reese, 50, has served as a member of the city's Redevelopment Authority for about six years, appointed by former Mayor Leonard Pintell."I want to join council because, through the authority, I see how much there is to do and how much more can be done for the city. I want to help bring those opportunities to life," he said.
Reese grew up in Butler, graduating from Butler High School in 1974. He attended both Indiana (Pa.) University and BC3. For the past 27 years, he has worked with his two brothers and a sister running the family business, the Monroe Restaurant and Hotel at the corner of Monroe and West Jefferson streets."Butler is unique — it's still a good place to raise kids and to live in, and I still believe in it," Reese said.Bratkovich, 59, said he agrees, adding he "has a passion" for Butler, even though he grew up in the Karns City area and is a graduate of Karns City High School. He graduated from Robert Morris College in 1971 with a bachelor's degree in accounting and marketing."I know I can help Butler, even if that means just listening to someone and their problems," Bratkovich said.He said he wants to focus on the positive aspects of Butler and to "solve the negatives on a daily basis."This is not just lip service — we are in this altogether and I never forget that I work for others," Bratkovich said.
