Butler mayoral race: Councilman Shearer challenges Mayor Dandoy
A councilman will challenge Butler Mayor Bob Dandoy in the upcoming November election.
As voters head to the polls for the May 20 primary election, registered Democrats will see the current mayor’s name listed on their ballot, while those who are registered as Republicans will see current Councilman Don Shearer’s name.
The winner on each party’s ballot proceeds to the November election, where it appears likely that the two would prepare for a showdown.
Butler’s mayor position is a four-year term with an annual compensation of $10,000.
Bob Dandoy
Dandoy is seeking reelection as a Democrat. He has served as mayor since taking office in 2022. Before taking office, he previously served on the council.
Dandoy said his biggest accomplishment as mayor was helping to facilitate the sale of the Butler Area Sewer Authority. Outside of the sale, he said he’s helped the city receive funds through grants toward public works, such as parks and sidewalks.
Outside of his work for the city, Dandoy is a retired teacher from the Karns City Area School District and a former instructor at Butler County Community College and Slippery Rock University.
He also is a past president of Butler Downtown.
Don Shearer
Councilman Don Shearer has been serving as director of accounts and finance for the city since he took office in 2022. He is seeking election to the office of mayor as a Republican.
Shearer said his biggest accomplishment as councilman was spearheading of the establishment of a rental ordinance in the city. Besides the ordinance, he said he worked behind the scenes to streamline processes that were flagged by an administrative audit.
Before serving on the council, Shearer worked with the Butler Fall Festival and was named Butler Downtown’s Volunteer of the Year for 2016. Outside of his work for the city, he works full-time as a curriculum designer.
During his first term, Dandoy said he helped to raise the city into a better financial situation. Now, after working to facilitate the sale of BASA, he said he found himself excited with new opportunities.
His goals, if elected, primarily focus is infrastructure, such as street paving and sidewalk repair, and upgrades to the parking system in the city.
Dandoy said he believes that parking upgrades will generate more income for the city and make parking more accessible.
Shearer said the aspirations he has for the city require him to take on a more dedicated role than councilman. He said he either needs to “step up or step out of the way” for the next generation.
Shearer’s goals, if elected, involve reducing housing issues and the city’s illegal drug problem, especially on the West End.
He also intends to utilize the BASA sale funds toward economic development in the city. Shearer said he believes the funds can be utilized to rebuild the city’s tax base.
Dandoy said he thinks the top three issues in the city are the delays on infrastructure, tax rates for both residents and businesses, and ongoing contract negotiations with city police.
Dandoy said he hopes to use the BASA sale funds to assist with debt service costs, lowering the burden on taxpayers. He also said he will be taking “a hard look” at the business privilege tax. Infrastructure efforts are already underway, as a list of streets to be paved this year already has been released.
Shearer said he thinks the top three issues in the city are the housing crisis, finding ways to attract new businesses and getting ahead of illegal drugs within the city.
Shearer said he hopes to address the housing crisis by creating programs utilizing the BASA sale funds, with the goal of raising property values.
He also said he will look to lower the business privilege tax.
He said he hopes to get the state, county and city all working together to divert resources toward resolving the city’s drug problem.
Dandoy, as incumbent mayor, spearheaded the city’s current plans for the managing of the BASA sale funds. However, he recognizes projects outside of the city’s plan that he wishes to complete, such as improvements to Pullman Park and the completion of a previous streetlight project.
He said that everyone has different ideas of what to do with the funds, and that he wants to consider all ideas while ensuring the city’s priorities are straight.
Shearer said he fully supports the council’s recent initiative that established a trust to oversee a majority of the money, but hopes that the city will be more “aggressive” with plans to utilize the remainder of the funds.
Some of his ideas include the establishment of a land bank for the city, as well as the establishment of a grant or loan program for property owners and businesses.
In Shearer’s opinion, a land bank would allow the city to perform “focused economic development” in hopes of attracting new development and ending the food desert in the area.
Dandoy said he believes the key to a strong downtown is to keep it well-maintained.
Another key, he said, is working with downtown groups and businesses that promote the area, such as Butler Downtown.
Organizations and businesses utilize Main Street and the downtown area for programs, such as Foodie Fridays and Sips in the City, that Dandoy said can keep people coming to Butler and shopping downtown.
For the neighborhoods, Dandoy said that he wants to make sure residents who need assistance with projects such as landscaping or improving the curb appeal of their property can receive the help they need through the city.
He said he also hopes to encourage more community activities in the neighborhoods.
Shearer said his ideas for improving downtown include extending the grant for new sidewalks, as well as future development and beautification efforts, into the neighborhoods.
Shearer said he would focus on developing surrounding areas, such as near Pullman Park and on Institute Hill, in hopes of rebuilding the neighborhoods.
He said that stronger neighborhoods lead to a more vibrant Main Street that is supported primarily by its residents and not through tourism.
For the neighborhoods, Shearer said his focus would be on the creation of the loan or grant program with the BASA sale funds so property owners can perform repairs or improvements to their properties and being more aggressive with repairing sidewalks to improve mobility and accessibility in the city.
