Shane W Potter

Despite six candidates running for three open four-year seats and two candidates running for one open two-year seat on Slippery Rock borough council, all four Republican incumbents running for reelection will receive another term.

Eight candidates in total battled it out for a spot on council during the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 4, but voters ultimately chose to be represented by the existing council members.

Council members Alexandra Franco-Tuten received 424 votes, or 18.1% of the vote; Paul Lueken received 417 votes, or 17.8% of the vote; and Jeff Campbell received 411 votes, or 17.5% of the vote, for the four-year seats according to unofficial election results reported in Butler County Bureau of Elections summary reports.

Each of the three Democrat challengers lost. Jonathan Foust received 376 votes, or 16% of the vote; Doug Cook received 371 votes, or 15.8% of the vote; and Bob Bowser received 339 votes, or 14.5% of the vote.

For the two-term seat, incumbent Denton Zeronas won with 422 votes, or 51.7% of the vote, compared with Sean Logue’s 388 votes, representing 47.5% of the vote.

Tuten has served on borough council for four years and currently works as a substitute teacher and as the producing liaison and assistant director for the Slippery Rock Area High School musical.

She said she believes the reelection of all four candidates is a sign the majority of borough residents are happy with the work council has done.

“It’s such good news — I was at the polls all day, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.,” Tuten said. “I love getting to meet everyone and chat.”

She said she’s excited to help the borough clear its debt with the sale of the 100 S. Main St. lot and to continue supporting the junior council people and the needs of the borough’s children as a whole.

“We actually inherited that debt. I don’t think a single sitting member was here then. It was over $800,000,” she explained.

Lueken has been the borough’s streets and facilities liaison in a two-year term that he was appointed to, but will now serve until 2030 on the board.

He said that he was feeling “good” about his reelection and that he is excited “to continue the work that council has been doing the past couple of years.”

Campbell is the current council president who works for WNA Engineering in Portersville. He said on Tuesday night he’s thankful he’ll get to return to council for another term.

“I’m looking forward to working with everyone again,” he said.

Zeronas serves both on borough council and as executive director at Slippery Rock Parks and Recreation.

He previously said he views his role on council as an opportunity to give back to the community, a goal he said hopes to continue achieving in his next term.