Borough candidates warming to race

Mayor Quinn retiring; Fean running; Wagner for council Milford — After eight years in office Merritt Quinn is retiring at the end of year as Milford Borough Mayor. Retirement comes after also serving 26 years on the borough council, 14 of those as council president. Quinn said Monday that the time was right. “It’s been 34 years and I’m going to be 90. That’s enough.” Councilman Robert “Bo” Fean said he would make the run for the mayor’s job. Fean is in his tenth year on the council, eight of which he has served as chairman of the street department and two as council vice president. The council seats of incumbent Republicans: Ed Loeschorn, Matt Osterberg, and James Price are also up for election this year. Democrat Denny Bullock Wagner announced her candidacy for council this week. A Milford native and wife of Pike Commissioner Karl Wagner, she is active in civic work with the Pike County Historical Society, the Center for Developmental Disabilities and the Pike County Democratic Committee. She is an advocate of small business and believes that such businesses need strong council support to thrive in this economy. Fean, who will retain his council seat through the elections, said he looks forward to taking on the mayor’s role in oversight of the borough’s growing police department. On Monday the council agreed to hire former Westfall officer, Kevin Nearing, as a part-time Milford officer. The hiring was probationary for one-year. Nearing will earn $15 per hour. Milford has four part-time and two full time officers. They also began consideration of Chief Gary Williams’ request for the hiring of three new full-time police officers, using funding from new federal COPS grants. Fean said the borough, which is working to provide “24-7” police coverage, will probably seek funding for two officers, as a third would be difficult to fund after the three-year grant expires. “Hiring a third and letting him go wouldn’t be fair,” he said. Candidates for local office may file petitions through March 10. Slots on the November ballot may still be won by write-in election at the May primary.