Four Republican candidates are running for two seats on the Center Township board of supervisors in the May 16 primary election.

They are incumbents Ed Latuska and Phil Wulff, former supervisor Ron Flatt, and Nick Angiolieri, who is on the township’s planning commission.

There are no Democratic candidates on the ballot.

Latuska first took a seat as township supervisor in 1998, and aside from a two-year break in the 2010s when he decided not to run in an election cycle, he has been on the board ever since.

A retired physical therapist, Latuska said he is running for reelection because he is concerned about the financial state of the township and wants to be “careful about the amount of money” the township is allocating to Unionville Volunteer Fire Company.

“I believe the volunteer department should receive our support, but we're not a bank,” Latuska said. “We've got our priorities, the roads, infrastructure, things we need to allocate our money for.”

Latuska said the township has given more than $2 million to the company over 20 years, and he would like the department to submit a certified audit to the supervisors as to how the money is being spent. He added that he would like Oneida Valley Volunteer Fire Department to receive some of the money the township generates through its fire tax, because the department covers part of Center Township.

Latuska said he also wants to be reelected to continue the initiatives he helped shape with the supervisors, including a consistent tax rate and good road infrastructure.

“For the most part, we're maintaining our roads and infrastructure,” he said. “We haven't raised taxes for many, many years. I'm proud of that.”

He said he enjoys serving as a supervisor and always has been open with residents about his intentions, which he cites as his greatest achievement as supervisor.

“It has been my honor and privilege to serve the community all these years, whatever the outcome,” Latuska said. “I've always tried to be open and transparent with the residents here in the township.”

Wulff is running for a third term as supervisor, having first been elected to the position in 2011.

The lifelong township resident owns Wulff Electric and has been a member of the Unionville Volunteer Fire Company for nearly 50 years. He said he is running for reelection because he “enjoys the township” and wants to see it grow.

“I have been involved in some grants here pretty heavily over the years,” Wulff said. “I've got some other projects. I want to continue on that stuff to try to get some more grant money into the township to save the taxpayer money.”

Wulff said the supervisors need to pay constant attention to township roads, which are the subject of many requests for grant funding. He said the annual paving projects are a constant need, but they also provide opportunities for the township to save money.

“Working with some of the gas and oil companies, we recovered some money on paving and repairs,” Wulff said. “The next grant is we have a bridge that needs to be replaced. Going to be working on trying to get some grant money to take care of that also.”

As a longtime member of Unionville VFC, Wulff said he wants to support its EMS training initiative, which has been helping firefighters obtain certification to provide medical attention on emergency calls.

He also said selling the former township municipal building is one of his favorite accomplishments as a supervisor, and he hopes to continue serving township residents by helping to save them money.

“It kept us from spending a lot of money on bringing the old office up to handicap accessible specifications,” Wulff said of getting a new township building. “I want to keep working for the good of the community, controlled growth in the neighborhoods here.”

Flatt took office in the early 2000s for 12 years, then took two years off before running successfully for supervisor and serving six more years before deciding not to run again during the last election cycle.

He said he always has enjoyed being a supervisor and took time off from the office as his own version of a term limit. He said he likes working with a board of supervisors to take on challenges that arise in the township, including road care.

“There are challenges and changes to the way we fund our care of the roads,” Flatt said, “and I think it would be helpful to have someone with experience to say how we take care of the roads and how we pay to take care of the roads.”

Flatt said as supervisor, he would research new policies developed by the federal and state governments to ensure the township is compliant with the policies. He also said he wants to help support the Unionville VFC.

“I've always been willing to put the effort in to understand things like stormwater regulations,” Flatt said. “Unionville has been a remarkable fire company, but even they are challenged with numbers.”

Flatt said that during his time as supervisor, the board completed several projects he is proud of, including erecting a new building that could hold up to a two-year supply of salt for winter; replacing traffic signals with LED lights, which resulted in a 90% savings in cost; and completing road projects that have helped reduce the number of vehicle crashes.

“I enjoy being part of a board, with the give-and-take relationship so we can come to a consensus where we can do what's best,” Flatt said. “I enjoy working with the other board members and cooperating together to achieve solutions to the problems that come up.”

Angiolieri said he has lived in the township for about six years and joined the township planning commission shortly after moving to the area.

He previously worked as an assessor for Butler County and now works for an independent firm that performs assessments across Pennsylvania.

Angiolieri said he is running for supervisor because he plans to live in the township for many years with his young family and because he would like to install a community park some day.

“I've been on planning commission; I've been following along with the township since then. I helped write the comprehensive plan,” he said. “I'd like to explore getting a community park in Center Township. It would definitely be a positive, plus with the elementary school and ball fields there.”

In addition to wanting to bring a park to the township, Angiolieri said the sale of the Butler Area Sewer Authority to Pennsylvania American Water is an issue he supports the current board of supervisors in opposing.

“I fully support and will support the current board on opposing BASA and the PAW sale,” Angiolieri said. “That could be a giant issue, not just for Center Township but for everybody who uses that.”

Angiolieri also said he would like to update township ordinances if elected. Having worked on the township’s comprehensive plan, which will be in effect until the 2030s, Angiolieri said he thinks he could be a good voice for initiatives as a supervisor.

“A fresh perspective, number one,” he said of his offerings to the township government. “Trying to update some ordinances that have been on the books since the 1970s and before; real estate taxes and taxation all that. Just want to make sure that the township is wise with its money.”