Palmosina upends Ellenbogen in County Council race
Robert J. Palmosina believes in new beginnings. So, apparently, do the voters of County Council District 12, who overwhelmingly elected him Tuesday over his Democratic opponent, incumbent Jim Ellenbogen, who had held the job for 10 years.
Mr. Palmosina, 53, of Banksville, said he looks forward to working with other elected officials on behalf of the residents of District 12, which includes Brookline, Mount Washington, Beechview, West End, Chartiers, Westwood, Esplen, Crafton Heights, Carrick, Knoxville, Overbrook, Dormont, Green Tree, Ingram, Mount Oliver and Rosslyn Farms.
But it wasn’t that long ago that an elected official — Mayor Bill Peduto — was a foe. Three years ago, Mr. Palmosina sued Mr. Peduto and some members of his administration for dismissing him from his job as assistant director for the city’s public works department.
Mr. Palmosina, chairman in the 20th Ward, claimed that he had been fired for supporting Mr. Peduto’s opponent, Jack Wagner, in the 2013 primary election. City administrators countered that Mr. Palmosina lost his job as part of a department reorganization.
But the lawsuit was settled in February 2015, and Tuesday night Mr. Palmosina — who will be unopposed in November — said both sides have moved on.
“It’s all gone, it’s all old news, and it won’t be coming back around,” said Mr. Palmosina, who was hired as public works director for Collier last year. “I actually met with the mayor several times during the campaign and he supported me. We are on good speaking terms, and I congratulate him on his victory.”
Mr. Palmosina, who had the endorsement of the Allegheny County Democratic Party, also expressed no qualms about working with county Executive Rich Fitzgerald, who supported Mr. Ellenbogen.
“A lot of times you hear people saying they’re going to hold a grudge. But not here,” he said. “I’m the kind of guy that’s going to work with you for the good of the people. I know that working with Mr. Fitzgerald is the best way to go. I’m not always going to vote his way. But I’m absolutely looking forward to having a meeting with him and working with him.”
His priorities, Mr. Palmosina said, will be water quality, bus service, public safety, senior citizens and drug use among young people. As the father of three sons — and a longtime coach of football, baseball and basketball — he promotes youth activities in the community.
Mr. Palmosina, a former Allegheny County superintendent of southern parks and road maintenance supervisor, attributed his lopsided victory to hard work during the campaign, reaching out to people and listening to their concerns.
“Whether you fix a problem or not, you have to listen and you have to try,” he said.
None of the other county council primary races were contested. Incumbents Tom Baker (RDistrict 1), Patrick Catena Jr. (D-District 4), and Bob Macey (D-District 9) will advance to the November ballot unopposed. In District 3, Republican incumbent Edward Kress will face Democrat Anita Prizio in the fall, and in District 8, Democratic incumbent Charles Martoni will be challenged by Republican Michael Dell.