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MINGO JUNCTION -- Three candidates, one of them a write-in and all of them having village council experience, are looking to become mayor of Mingo Junction in the Nov. 7 general election.
Judy L. Ruckman is a former council member and licensed practical nurse. She attended Jefferson County Technical College, now Eastern Gateway Community College, and obtained her general educational development test certificate. Ruckman has worked in management at restaurants and served as an administrative assistant at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort.
Patrick F. Murphy is a former council member, firefighter, EMT and service department laborer and truck driver. Murphy is currently enrolled in the Certified Safety Specialist-Construction program at West Virginia University Safety and Health Extension and is an independent consultant for his own LifeVantage business, with which he is a member in the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce. Murphy graduated from the University of Akron in 2012 with an associate degree in applied arts.
Mark Baker, a current village council member, is filed as a write-in candidate, meaning voters would have to manually enter his name on their ballots if he is their selection. A Mingo High School graduate, Baker is house manager at the Pavilion at Star Lake. Baker, an eight-year member of the GKL Wildlife Association board, is a former village employee, having worked at the wastewater treatment plant and service department, for which he has served in various positions.
In addition to background inquiries, candidates were asked the following questions:
Judy L. Ruckman
Judy L. Ruckman
217 Benita Drive.
Q: What other experience do you have, including volunteer work, involvement in civic or church groups and any offices held?
A: "I occasionally volunteer for the Jefferson County Humane Society and am a current member of the Jefferson Behavioral Health board."
Q: What are three things you'd like to accomplish or three issues you'd like to address if elected?
A: "I'd like to get really aggressive regarding dilapidated properties. Downtown buildings are collapsing before our eyes. Residential areas also are riddled with dilapidated houses along with overgrown vegetation; almost jungle-like. There needs to be accountability. I'll do whatever it takes to streamline the process.
"I'd strive to create a culture of everyone working together with the main goal being the safety and comfort of the people living here.
"I also would foster close relationships with and have constant and open communication with the local entities that are invaluable to improving our valley. Whether it's to entice new businesses to locate here or to improve infrastructure, we need to progress and not just accept our current state."
Q: Any other information for voters?
A: "I plan to be a full-time mayor and will be accessible to all constituents. Furthermore, things must be kept open and above board. My husband always tells me that my work ethic and tenacity are unmatched. I just commit to the job at hand. I thank the people of Mingo Junction in advance for their support."
Patrick F. Murphy
Patrick F. Murphy
121 Madison Ave.
Q: What other experience do you have, including volunteer work, involvement in civic or church groups and any offices held?
A: "While on council, I served on several committees and was chair of several committees. I served as Mingo Junction's representative on the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission. I also served on the village's negotiations committee during the village's contract negotiations with the Mingo Junction Safety Forces Association."
Q: What are three things you'd like to accomplish or three issues you'd like to address if elected?
A: "My top priority as mayor will be to tear down all the old, dilapidated and abandoned buildings downtown and try to bring businesses into town. ... There may soon be a grant available to help with the costs of tearing down these structures, so my plan is to stay in communication with the port authority and the chamber of commerce to try to bring prosperity to the Village of Mingo Junction. Another idea that I have is to build a bridge or ramp down at the bottom of Logan Avenue over the train tracks and drop it down into the bottom lands by the old blooming mill. I would clear that area out and create an industrial park."
Q: Any other information for voters?
A: "Let me thank, in advance, all the citizens of Mingo Junction for their support. The only promise that I will make is that I will work tirelessly to bring prosperity to the great town that is Mingo Junction."
Mark Baker
Mark Baker (Write-In)
228 Petrick Ave.
Q: What other experience do you have, including volunteer work, involvement in civic or church groups and any offices held?
A: "I volunteer to do the veterans banner in Mingo Junction."
Q: What are three things you'd like to accomplish or three issues you'd like to address if elected?
A: "I worked for the service department all these years, (and) I want to get back to being the best in the valley in everything we do, whether that was plowing streets, doing sanitation, fixing water breaks as fast as we can, having the best police and fire response to protect our citizens, keeping up our senior building and keeping the Mingo pool, at our beautiful Aracoma Park that we have, running and doing any upgrades that we need to do to keep it running."
Q: Any other information for voters:
A: "We have … an extra $30 or $35 that we charge our residents to pay off our water bill. Once we get that paid off, I'd like to take some of that burden off of our seniors and the citizens of Mingo Junction, to the point that we have to keep a little bit in there for maintenance down at our water plant. Mingo residents have always been good for the village of Mingo, so I want to make sure their dollars are getting paid for services that they render their tax money for.
"I'm not running for mayor for the money, I'm running because I love my town. God bless Mingo Junction."