A crowded Republican field in the race this spring for Westmoreland County commissioner grew Monday with the campaign announcement of Delmont Councilman Jim Bortz.
Bortz, 57, held a campaign rally at Fontana's Cafe, the North Huntingdon Township bar and restaurant he owns, and told a gathering of about two dozen friends and supporters that he wants to improve the business climate.
"County leaders don't understand the daily struggle to sustain a business in Westmoreland County," Bortz said.
Bortz, a former mayor of Delmont who worked as a director of manufacturing at Westinghouse, said ethics will be a large component of his campaign.
Yesterday, he criticized Democratic commissioners Tom Ceraso and Tom Balya over recent flaps at the courthouse, including concerning operations at the county prison, issues surrounding no-bid contracts, and the reaction to a critical audit of the county's computer tracking system by Controller Carmen Pedicone.
"We have to become ethical again up there at the courthouse," Bortz said.
With Bortz's candidacy, five Republicans have announced their intentions to run for county commissioner as the Republicans attempt to reverse a 50-year trend of a Republican as the minority party on the three-member board of commissioners.
Republican Commissioner Phil Light announced last month he will not run to retain his seat.
Already announced as candidates in the GOP primary are Hempfield Township Supervisor Kim Ward, Light's chief of staff Mike Reese, Penn Township Commissioner George Dunbar and attorney Wayne McGrew.
Jay Peters, vice president of Local 22 of the International Union of Electrical and Communications Workers of America, which represents furloughed workers at the former Rolling Rock brewery in Latrobe, attended Bortz's rally. Peters said he anticipates a full union endorsement for Bortz.
Meanwhile, county Republican Party leaders are still planning to endorse two candidates to carry the GOP banner into the fall.
Bortz said that while he would seek the party endorsement, he would continue his campaign without the nod.
Perry Christopher, chairman of the county Republican committee, said yesterday that the crowded GOP field is the reason why there will be an endorsement process.
"We have so many candidates, it seems like the endorsement will help us focus. He (Bortz) will get to make his case to the committee, then the voters," Christopher said.
The number of candidates has altered Christopher's plan.
Initially, the GOP leadership planned to hold an endorsement meeting in early February, before candidates could officially start their campaigns. That meeting will be pushed back several weeks to give prospective candidates time to file paperwork with the county election bureau.
"This just gives us more time and allows us to have a better idea of who is running," Christopher said.
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