6 candidates running for 3 open seats on Oakmont Borough council

There are three seats up for grabs on the Oakmont Borough Council.

Voters in the November election will select three members from the six candidates seeking four-year term seats. The Democrats and the Republicans are equally represented, with three candidates from each party, according to the Allegheny County Office of Elections unofficial candidate list.

David Graver

Political Party: Republican

Occupation: Vice president of retirement plan consulting

Graver, 41, is a first-time candidate who was inspired to run for council after becoming concerned about the borough’s taxation. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Pittsburgh, Graver has remained interested in finances. He said that the borough council needs to get back on track with prioritizing the town’s wellbeing.

“I feel like Oakmont is missing out on some great opportunities,” Graver said. “Some of the council members are busy doing more petty things like passing parking and social media ordinances, but delaying big projects like bringing in new restaurants and building more parking lots.”

He said that with the U.S. Open coming to Oakmont in 2025, the council will need to approach preparations with “common sense” to properly showcase the town. Not only does he want to have more parking for the town, he wants to update traffic studies to avoid “traffic nightmares” during the influx of tourists, and to make residents’ commutes safer.

Al Hatok

Political Party: Republican

Occupation: Software engineer

Hatok, 58, was inspired to run for council when a borough parking ordinance was changed after 11 years. He said that his first order of business if he gets elected would be reverting that ordinance back to its previous verbiage.

“I don’t really like the direction that the current council is taking the borough in,” Hatok said.

He cited parking a few times, saying that previous plans for a new parking lot in the town were delayed after ownership of an alley was disputed. He said that the council’s solution for people to park on Allegheny Avenue is backing up traffic because of its role as a travel way for trucks.

Hatok said that after the parking issue is solved, he plans to serve the borough as best he can.

“I just want to take care of the basic necessities of the borough, keep everything up to date and tidy,” Hatok said.

Hatok has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Coastal Carolina University.

Deborah L. Ormay

Political Party: Democratic

Occupation: Medical staff manager at Team Med Global with over 30 years of experience

Ormay, 68, has been an active member of the Oakmont community for years. After graduating from Riverview High School, she studied at Clarion University, now PennWest Clarion, and earned a master’s degree in divinity from Boston University. She served as the president of the Oakmont Carnegie Library Board for five years.

“When I was growing up in Oakmont, we didn’t have the traffic or the population that we do now,” Ormay said.

Ormay explained that she wants to help Oakmont maintain its walkability. She said that pedestrians deserve to feel safe crossing the street. If elected, she hopes to file grant applications to update traffic studies. She also wants to get involved with the borough’s Pedestrian Safety Committee. To ensure traffic laws are adhered to, Ormay wants to collaborate with other council members and public safety officers to see if there can be more of a police presence at busy intersections, specifically at the intersection of Third Street and Hulton Bridge.

“Oakmont is a walking community,” Ormay said. “If you open your door, you’re going to see people jogging on the sidewalk, pushing strollers, walking their dogs, kids going to and from school. I want to make sure the community is safe to walk in.”

She also wants to work with residents to raise funds for fixing portions of sidewalks that are damaged. Hearing from residents and taking their opinions into account is a large part of her initiative.

Walking in Oakmont holds a special place in Ormay’s heart after her father suffered a heart attack and his doctor told him the key to recovery was walking. She would walk three miles with him every night to keep him company.

“It helped him live 30 more years,” Ormay said.

Jennifer Paris

Political Party: Democratic

Occupation: Program manager at Western Psych UPMC, and part-time therapist with Pittsburgh Pastoral

After a family incident where community members gathered around her for support, Paris, 55, said that she decided to run to give back to the community as much as she could in the form of public service. With masters’ degrees in law and counseling from the University of Pittsburgh, Paris wants to emphasize the importance of mental health.

“We should focus on preparing our police officers, or any first responder to deal with the public health crisis,” Paris said. “They’re being tasked to provide services to people who are in a crisis. Making sure that they have every tool that they need to provide service to the community is necessary.”

If she is elected, she hopes to meet with first responders to answer questions and give them the opportunity to feel comfortable dealing with those types of situations.

“I think meeting with them and asking what they need, what we can provide, what they think would help – just really assessing what their needs are would be helpful,” Paris said.

Paris said that she also wants to stay on top of Oakmont’s infrastructure. She said that it’s important that the roads are paved, the storm drains are working and that the town “stays walkable.” She also wants to continue Oakmont’s progress in the sustainability realm as well.

Paris hopes to collaborate with other council members to bring new business into the community, and to make that process as transparent as possible.

Nancy Ride

Political Party: Democratic

Occupation: Retired estate, trust and tax paralegal

Ride, 72, is seeking reelection after serving a 4-year term and as council president for the last seven months. She has served on council twice before from 2008 until 2015. Born and raised in Oakmont, she graduated from Oakmont High School and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in history from Wittenburg University.

If reelected, Ride hopes to continue her work to maintain the borough’s infrastructure. Council members have already begun a sewer upgrade after taking out a bond for the project. She added that they are currently looking for bids to improve neighborhood brick streets.

“This year we had set aside $280,000 for neighborhood streets,” Ride said. “We’re adding more funds in the upcoming budget so we can address more streets and hopefully get a better bid.”

She said that council is also planning to apply for grants to acquire more funds and start other infrastructure projects. Ride also intends to collaborate with other council members, local business members and the borough’s chamber of commerce to bring more businesses into town.

“I’d like to help encourage new business within the community to keep our main street a thriving, local business district,” Ride said.

Mark Springer

Political Party: Republican

Occupation: Property manager of a North Side apartment complex

Springer, 58, previously ran for mayor of Oakmont with the intention of bringing law enforcement and public safety to the forefront of the borough. He plans to continue that initiative if he is elected to the council. After graduating from Riverview High School, he served in the U.S. Navy, and went on to become a police officer and police chief in Verona and Wilkinsburg.

“There are no candidates other than myself that has law enforcement, emergency management or public safety background,” Springer said.

He said that as a council member, he hopes to be able to collaborate with the mayor and other members to advance the borough’s safety. Springer said that with the U.S. Open coming to Oakmont in 2025, his background would ensure the wellbeing of residents and visitors.

“My family has a rich tradition of serving Oakmont,” Springer said. “I believe it goes back four generations.”

Including himself, Springer comes from a long line of Oakmont police officers with his son serving in the borough’s fire department. He hopes to be elected as a council member and continue to uphold the tradition.