Transparency, recreation and solar: 7 candidates share key issues in East Huntingdon races

Seven candidates are vying for two supervisors seats in East Huntingdon, as the township navigates a commercial solar lawsuit and brainstorms how to use the former Ruffsdale Elementary property it bought more than four years ago.

Incumbent Justin G. Morrow, a Republican who works for the township’s road crew, is running for his third six-year term. Jeff Keefer is running to finish out the final four years of former supervisor Joel Suter’s term. Keefer, also a Republican and road crew worker, was appointed in June when Suter, a longtime supervisor, died.

First-time candidates include Republicans Tony Moore, owner of Moore Masonry; Matthew Accipiter, owner of Accipiter Tractor Parts; Jim Carson, owner of Scottdale Insurance LLC; and Southmoreland High School teacher Larry Ansell.

Wayne Godfrey is the only Democratic candidate. He did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

The primary election is Tuesday, May 20. Godfrey, Ansell, Carson and Moore are running for four and six-year terms — an option made available by the remaining four years on Suter’s term. Morrow and Accipiter are running for six-year terms.

Candidates voice key issues

Transparency, recreation, creating a comprehensive plan, attracting more businesses and preserving the township’s agricultural heritage are among the candidates’ priorities.

Newcomers Moore and Accipiter said they believe township officials have lacked transparency with the community in recent years.

“That’s maybe why no one knows what goes on, because there’s never been transparency,” said Moore, 42.

Accipiter said he has found it difficult to attend the supervisors’ monthly meetings, which are scheduled for 3:15 p.m. and 9 a.m. on the first and third Thursdays of the month.

“It’s hard for anybody that’s a resident of the area to go and voice anything,” said Accipiter, 35.

Incumbent Keefer argued that the supervisors have made themselves available to concerned residents outside of meeting hours.

“We’re here daily,” said Keefer, 55. “If anybody has any questions, concerns or whatever, anybody can call us at any time.”

Keefer added the township has taken a step toward increased transparency in the past year by adopting the Savvy Citizen alert system, which sends messages to residents regarding power outages, road closures and road work.

Nearly all seven candidates expressed interest in bolstering recreation opportunities for the township’s youths.

Keefer and fellow incumbent Morrow said they would like to continue maintaining the baseball fields at the former Ruffsdale Elementary School — a property the township acquired from the Southmoreland School District in January 2021.

The school building now houses the HeadStart program, a small preschool, Morrow said.

“The (baseball fields) have been here forever,” he said. “We all played on those ball fields. We want to keep things going down there.”

Newcomer Carson said he would like to see the township install sprinkler pads, a baseball field and pickleball courts in future years. The former Everson Council member and Southmoreland School Board director was inspired to run for the supervisor position following Suter’s death.

“I really enjoy community involvement and being involved and helping,” said Carson, 50, “and I think I can bring a lot to East Huntingdon with helping move it a little more toward the 21st century.”

Comprehensive planning, commercial solar

As supervisor, newcomer Ansell said he would prioritize developing a comprehensive plan for the township, aimed at bolstering East Huntingdon’s business scene while respecting its rural roots.

Ansell decided to run for a supervisor position after raising concerns earlier this year about what he called a lack of oversight for commercial solar installations in the township.

“We approached the board of supervisors in January,” said Ansell, 39, “and it was blatantly apparent that they had no idea how to handle commercial-level solar facilities.

“The more questions I asked, the more I kind of said to myself, ‘You know what, I think I can do this better.’”

An Erie-based energy company, GreenKey Development Inc., sued East Huntingdon earlier this year, claiming a new ordinance effectively bans solar farms in the township.

GreenKey said in the lawsuit, filed in Westmoreland County Court, that it first notified the township of its development plans in May 2024, disclosing specific proposals for three local properties in January.

East Huntingdon adopted an ordinance in late February regulating where solar farms can be built in the township. It also requires companies to submit detailed plans to decommission the farms or prepay for their eventual removal.

GreenKey claims in the lawsuit that the ordinance was not advertised or made public during the company’s January meeting with the township.

“We will work to regulate and control (commercial solar) to the best of our abilities,” Keefer said.

Keefer and Morrow declined to comment further. Township Solicitor Aaron Bialon did not respond to a request for comment.

Candidates tell why they’re running

Ansell said he plans to keep his job as a teacher if he is elected to the board. He does not plan to work for the township road crew, which has been a common practice among East Huntingdon’s supervisors.

“The guys that do the job now with the streets and the infrastructure, day-to-day operations, they do a great job,” he said. “I don’t want to touch that. Why fix something that’s not broken in that regard?

“What is broken is long-term planning. What’s going to happen in the next 10, 20, 30 years?”

Morrow believes working for the township enhances his ability to serve as a supervisor.

“I think it puts more of a perspective,” he said. “This is our job. Do we get paid? Yes. But my judgment on the vote, I think it makes it better because we’re here — our heart’s in it.”

Keefer said he takes pride in maintaining the township’s 70 miles of roads.

“We just feel the board members have always gotten along well,” he said. “There’s never been any problems with disagreements.”

Ansell doesn’t want his hometown to become complacent.

“I have some concerns that the current supervisors are OK with just ‘cookie cutter,’ rubber stamping whatever comes across their desk,” he said, “without really considering some of the longer-term ramifications of it.”

Moore said he feels it is time for East Huntingdon to see a change in its local government.

“When these two seats came available, I knew they were in need of help, of leadership with knowledge and experience,” he said. “I didn’t feel that the incumbents were the answer, and I felt that I could just be an asset.”