Aug 3, 2018 3 min read

A panel of Westmoreland County judges picked a longtime social worker and ordained minister to fill a vacancy that’s hamstrung Monessen’s city council for more than two months.

The 10 members of the county’s bench picked Lois Thomas, 56, for the seat Thursday left empty by Councilman Ron Chiaravalle’s death May 28.

“I live in Monessen. I love Monessen. I grew up in Monessen,” said Thomas, a newcomer to local politics. “And I know what it was, and I see what it is now, and I know what it can be. It just needs a lot of work, and people who truly care, and have one goal – not four or five goals.”

City officials said the frequent absences of Mayor Matt Shorraw – who’s missed seven consecutive meetings – and Councilman Gil Coles hinder the Mon Valley city’s ability to pay bills and conduct other routine business.

Monessen’s elected officials missed the 30-day window to fill Chiaravalle’s old seat, leaving the appointment up to the court. Shorraw backed former state representative Ted Harhai for the appointment by the court.

Since the seat has been vacant, the five-member council reached a quorum just once, when Coles showed up for a meeting late in June.

David Feehan, the only member of council who was present Thursday, said he was excited to be able to get on with city business.

“It’s going to be a long one,” Feehan said of the next meeting, which will be Aug. 9 “We’ve got a lot of stuff to pass.”

Thomas described the period when council wasn’t able to muster a quorum as “a bad situation that we had to go through, but it’s behind us and hopefully we can move forward.”

Thomas has worked for Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging for 20 years, and is also a pastor at two African Methodist Episcopal churches in the Allegheny County boroughs of Braddock and Elizabeth.

Two members of Chiaravalle’s family – his daughter Tina O’Dell and his great-nephew Dominic Zboyovsky – were among those who applied for the seat on council. Other residents seeking the appointment were the Rev. William C. Bass, John Francis Golomb, Shane Lanham, Donald R. Rattay Sr. and Darryl Ray.

The judges allowed the audience of about 10 people to remain in the courtroom as they called each of the nine candidates to the courtroom to speak individually for up to three minutes each.

City solicitor Joseph Dalfonso said he expected Thomas to be sworn in during next week’s meeting. The newest member will also be the only woman serving on council.

“You do need to hear from the female side,” Thomas said. “We’ve got good ideas, too – just like the guys do.”

She also said she considers the elderly and young “the ones who are really, maybe left out.”

“Working with the (Agency on) Aging for 20 years, I know all the resources that are available to them,” she said. “I know what’s available to them. But also, as a pastor – I was a youth minister before I even pastored a church – so I know how to bring the youth together. My friends call me ‘the Pied Piper,’ when it comes to young people. So I know what they need and I don’t mind working with them, I love working with them.”