Hempfield challenger upsets former supervisor on GOP ticket
A former Hempfield Township supervisor apparently lost his bid to return to the board of supervisors when he lost the Republican nomination in Tuesday’s primary, according to unofficial results.
Bill Bretz captured 55.2% of the vote in the primary, topping Jerry Fagert, who received 44.3% of the votes for the GOP.
There was no candidate in the Democratic ballot, but there were 377 write-in votes on the Democratic ticket. That makes it likely some candidate will be running for supervisor as a Democrat in November.
Bretz, 49, and Fagert, 60, discussed improving the township’s fire services, which have 11 departments spread across the municipality.
Hempfield officials have worked to combine the fire stations, previously separate entities, to fall under one department headed by a paid fire chief and deputy fire chief. Officials now are working to have the stations become chartered members, meaning the township will incur financial obligations as well as property and apparatus.
Fagert previously served on the board from 2011 to 2017, but lost his bid for reelection.
The seat is open because John Silvis decided not to run for re-election.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
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