Pair of Republicans Hope for East Franklin Office

A former East Franklin Township fire chief is confident he can unseat the incumbent township supervisor chair in next week’s Primary election.

Ed French, of Adrian, hopes to secure the Republican nomination for his first term in office Tuesday against Township Supervisor Barry Peters.

French and Peters are contending for a six-year term.

“I see a lot of waste in money – it just seems to flow like water out there,” French said. “I just don’t think we needed the big Taj Mahal (township building) that they built and with all the different things they put on. They did very little chipping and taking care of the roads, and you could spend a whole summer filling in shoulders.

“I just think there needs to be a change in the direction they’re going right now.”

French said he has known Peters for many years and that there are no personal reasons for his opposition.

“I’ve known Barry for years – we’ve always spoke and talked. There’s nothing personal,” French said. “I just think there are changes that need to be made in the township.”

Among other items he would like changed include a more fiscal operation to the three sewage plants, more transparency in the monthly budget report and for supervisors to tour local roadways to look for and handle homeowner issues and concerns.

“There’s just too much coming out of (the sewage fund) – it’ll never be out of the red if it continues that way,” French said.

French, former township fire chief and EMA director, would also like to try and attract new businesses and homeowners to move in the township, without the promise of tax breaks such as in the West Hills Industrial Park.

“We need to do things a little differently,” French said.
While attending classes at East Brady High School, French worked at Myers Pickle Farm in Sarver before working at PennDOT and retired from Eljer in Ford City after being an inspector for 33 years.

“It seems like I’ve worked all my life,” French said.

French was thankful to the State and local police officers and County detectives for working to clean up the drug problem in the municipality.

French, who turned 70 in April, lives in the Village of Adrian with fiancée Rose Brosius – who is one of three township auditors and also on the ballot next week – and granddaughter, Serenity – a student at Ford City Head Start.

Daughter, Melissa, works in Indiana, Pa.

East Franklin voters either cast their ballots at the township building or at Harvest Community Church.

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