Development spurs interest in council seats

challenge. The voice of the people is the voice that matters most. I am humbled and inspired by the extraordinary spirit this community has shown. It would be my honor to serve Aspinwall as a council member, to continue to fight for residents’ interests, to be their representative and to help ensure that we continue to work together so that we may progress and succeed together. If elected, I will focus on infrastructure, public safety, supporting the volunteer fire department and bike trails.

Is Riverfront 47 still a relevant issue? While Mosites’ decision to abandon plans for an Eastern Avenue entrance in the face of massive community opposition was a positive step, R47 remains a critical issue for Aspinwall.

R47 has the potential to be a transformative development, as long as it does not come at the expense of the community. In the last month, Mosites has presented no new plans, done nothing more to engage the community in a constructive way and given no indication that they are going to revisit their approach to communication and transparency with Aspinwall residents.

We hope that changes and are taking a wait-and-see position. But they have a lot of work to do to earn back trust; it should be plainly evident theirs has not been a playbook for community relations success.

JOHN STEPHEN, 53, principal, Ecosophic Strategies LLC, a strategic and community planning consultancy

As leader of numerous public-private programs, including the Allegheny River Towns Enterprise Zone that included Aspinwall, I appreciate what it takes to negotiate with diverse parties to achieve results that provide cost-effective services and safety, attract resources to improve the borough, and benefit the greatest public.

I am committed to create opportunities for all Aspinwall residents to be involved in the decisions that impact our community.

One example of my commitment to my “Action for All in Aspinwall” theme is that I have been able to revise the Aspinwall Democratic Committee from near extinction to its current status, with a full slate of committee persons.

Why should voters elect you? Over 25 years of civic experience implementing projects that create quality communities to live and work and invest.

My campaign platform is to create “Action for All in Aspinwall” and I have the track record of creating some of the most community-involved nonprofits in the region, including the Friends of the Riverfront, the Nine Mile Run Watershed Association and the Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy.

Is Riverfront 47 still a relevant issue? The riverfront remains the once-ina-generation chance to define the character of the borough of Aspinwall. It has traffic, rainwater, energy, budget and quality-oflife implications that will impact, for better or worse, the borough for years to come.

It must be implemented in a manner that is responsive to the needs of the Aspinwall community. To date, the development team has made it very easy for the community to say no.

There must be more communication between the development team and the community to ensure Aspinwall benefits as it should and traffic does not negatively impact nearby neighborhood streets.