2005 Run For Mayor of Sugar Notch

Citizens for a qualified 'successor' mayor in
Sugar Notch

November 2005


The election results are deplorable. The winner submitted his resignation before the election, yet he won!
The public must not have to bear this shame. Please attend the Sugar Notch council meeting on 11-15-05, this Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. on the third floor of the borough building at Main and Freed Streets.

I, Mario Fiorucci, a life long resident and citizen activist for the entire term of the departing mayor, petition the good residents of our town to support an 'open' nomination process by council to select the replacement mayor.

If the council votes to accept the present mayor's resignation, they can immediately name an 'acting' mayor.
That would likely be a member of council or the present council president. None of which have any extensive educational or professional background in government, except for their tenure on the Sugar Notch council.

Not only am I an active political figure in the borough and Luzerne County, I have earned a Masters degree in political science from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. and I have served as an intern on Capitol Hill.
Please read the attached article from the Times Leader by Casey Jones and review the copy of my diploma.

The article by Casey Jones appeared on Wednesday, November 9th, the day after the election. His mostly glowing review of my abilities and activities only stops when he identifies my one fault, I am in the Green Party.
I recognize that I must make compromises. If appointed by council as the borough's replacement mayor, I will immediately change my political affiliation to "Independent." This will make me a more objective leader for Sugar Notch and a more positive influence in all the other communities that comprise Luzerne County.

If you believe in my desire to be an honest and qualified mayor, then please attend the council meeting this Tuesday, and any additional meetings, until the issue of the replacement mayor is resolved in a suitable manner. Just naming a member of council as 'acting' mayor will not be in the long term interests of our residents and will not shake off the shroud of shame we are under at present. The media will not forgive us without reason.

According to the Borough Mayors Manual "Vacacies are filled by council within 30 days. If the council does not choose a successor mayor a 'vacancy board' is created that consists of the council and one registered voter from the borough. If the vacancy board does not choose a mayor within 15 days, the chairman of the board can petition the court of common pleas to fill the vacancy. Once a 'successor' mayor is appointed, they may serve 'until the first Monday of January following the first municipal election occurring more than 60 days after the date the vacancy occurs, if the term continues that long." In english, that means the successor mayor can serve for the next two years and then have to run for (re) election in 2007, in order to continue to serve as mayor for the remaining 2 years of the original 4 year term. Of course, other candidates can run for mayor at that time.

Attend the meeting this Tuesday and speak out for an open nomination process.