KULPMONT - When Republican voters in Kulpmont head to the polls for Tuesday's primary election, they'll have to do some extra typing on the touch-screen voting machine if they want to cast a vote for a candidate.
That's because in the race for mayor and for four seats on borough council, all candidates are registered as Democrats.
That's not surprising, since the latest borough voter registration numbers show the Democratic party holding a three-to-one advantage.
In the contest for mayor, the race is between former mayor and councilman Nicholas Goretski III and political newcomer Bernard Novakoski. Current Mayor Myron Turlis is not seeking reelection after his first four-year term.
Friendly competition
Goretski said the campaign has been friendly because he and Novakoski are just that - friends.
"Bernie and I have been friends for many years and are even members of the same hunting camp," Goretski said. "Whatever happens in the election happens, and I wish him the best of luck."
"It's all in the hands of the voters," Novakoski said. "In the end, they have the final say as to who is elected."
Blight is top issue
Both men agreed the most significant problem facing the borough of 2,900 residents is the poor condition of too many properties.
"We need to fight the blight in this town," Novakoski said, lamenting the fact that so many out-of-town landlords own properties and aren't careful enough in who they allow as tenants.
Goretski likes the steps the current borough council has taken to toughen landlord/tenant ordinances, but would like to see it taken a bit further.
"I would love to see an aesthetics ordinance, meaning that the look of any property has to fit into that neighborhood and doesn't devalue the other properties in the area," Goretski said.
He also would like to help bring about more stringent rules about tenants, and thinks landlords should have to follow more rules.
"When someone applies for housing with the county authority, we have stringent rules that go beyond what the borough and the landlord does, and I think they should be adopted," he said.
Goretski, who serves on the Northumberland County Housing Authority, responsible for bringing Roosevelt Court to Kulpmont, said he would use the office as an ambassador role.
"We need to get back to a sense of community in this town, and the first way to do that is to have pride in our community to make Kulpmont better, and fixing up houses and making for higher fines for those that don't follow the program is one way to do that."
Borough building
Another issue that has divided Kulpmont in recent months is the plan to build a new complex that would include borough hall and offices, the maintenance garage, senior action center and police department.
Both candidates think the building is needed, but Novakoski said the public needs to be fully informed about the economics.
"Whether it be raze the current building and put up a more efficient building at the site, because it is full of asbestos, build a new one at a different site, or renovate an existing building - show us the savings that will be achieved," he said.
If a new building is constructed, Goretski would like to see some good come out the old one, such as with Roosevelt Court.
"You look at the old Roosevelt Grade School, how run down it was, and the work was put into it to make it one of the nicest pieces of real estate in the borough," Goretski said. "We need to explore all those options for the betterment of the borough, and work with everyone to see if funding is available to find a new use for it."
Novakoski also said he would like to see better traffic control on Kulpmont's thoroughfare, Chestnut Street (Route 61).
"We need better enforcement for the pedestrian crosswalks, so drivers know they need to yield to the pedestrians," Novakoski said. "By the same token, you have people that cross in the middle of the street, so its a double-edged sword."
Council candidates
The four Democratic candidates up for four seats on council - Joe Winhofer, Stephen Motyka, Clarence Dietrick and Bruno Varano - are all incumbents. None of the candidates has heard of anyone mounting a write-in candidacy for a Republican nomination, but all said if someone from that party wants to vote for them on May 21, they would welcome it.
"When I'm out talking to people and find out they are a Republican, I tell them I would appreciate their vote as well," said Goretski.
"I have it printed on my campaign cards I hand out," Novakoski said, "Republican votes welcome."