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Former Tyrone Mayor Pat Stoner has announced that she will be running for a four year term on Tyrone Borough Council.
Stoner had served as Mayor of Tyrone Borough for eight years, leaving office in 2006.
“Since leaving the Mayor’s office, I have felt a real void in my life and have missed the involvement and commitment that goes with serving. I have always been about public service, with a special interest in government. But, most importantly, I am passionate about the well-being of this community and its people,” Stoner said. “I feel I have the experience, and the desire, necessary to make a valuable contribution as a member of Council, and I would be honored to serve in that capacity.”
Prior to serving as Mayor, Stoner worked as a Special Assistant to Pennsylvania State Treasurer Catherine Baker Knoll, current Lieutenant Governor. “The experience I gained in the position with the State Treasurer was priceless and it definitely provided me with the background and knowledge that left me very well prepared for the Mayor’s office,” Stoner said.
Stoner had played an active role in the Democratic party most of her adult life, having held positions of State Committee Person, Secretary to the North Central Democratic Caucus, Blair County Democratic Chairperson, as well as Vice Chair of the Democratic Party. However, she stated that she resigned all of these positions with the Democratic party when elected Mayor because she felt that she needed to fulfill her responsibilities as Mayor in an unbiased, completely unencumbered and independent manner.
She has also served on the Board of Directors of the Altoona-Blair County Chamber of Commerce. While on this board, she was awarded the most coveted Athena Award, a national award, presented to women who are recognized for their leadership qualities.
Stoner currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Tyrone Community Players, a member of the Tyrone Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Tyrone Historical Society. She was also presented with life-time memberships to TACO and is a life-time member of the Golden Eagle Monogram Club.
“I would like to be in a position where I could be a part of the process of looking for funding for projects within the Borough. I would also like to be able to ensure that the integrity of the projects that we have completed is protected, but most importantly, I would be honored to serve the people of this community and to be a part of making decisions that can make a difference in the quality of their lives. Also, I would like to be able to continue finding alternative recreational opportunities for our young people. We succeeded in doing this by bringing soccer to Tyrone, where it now has become a part of the school athletic curriculum. We also cleaned up the Park Avenue Playground, replaced the old equipment and for the past five years have offered a very successful free summer Playground Program, which commences with the school year ending and continues until school starts in the fall. As a member of the Board of Directors of the Tyrone Community Players, we offer summer workshops and children’s theater for those young people who are interested in the arts,” Stoner concluded.
Stoner has three children, Cindy Bennett-Hedberg of Sinking Valley, an active member of the Tyrone Community Players; Steve of Tyrone, a teacher at Tyrone Area Middle School; and Joy Ealy a physical therapy aide in Mercer County.
