Three GOP candidates for Lebanon mayor outline visions at public forum

Republican mayoral candidates Sherry Capello, Damian Vargas, and Sharon Zook participated in a candidates night forum Wednesday at Lebanon City Hall.

The event served to inform residents leading up to the May 20 primary elections, with the Republican primary seeing more competition.

LebTown reporter Chris Coyle and Seven Mountains Media news director Laura LeBeau alternated questions to participants, who each came prepared with opening and closing statements.

Incumbent mayor Sherry Capello focused heavily on her experience and track record, having served four terms in the position. She emphasized her role in addressing deficits, improving roads, and investing in playground and park improvements.

“I don’t have to wonder if I can do the job; I’ve been doing it,” said Capello in her closing statement. “Experience matters and the accomplishments my administration has achieved during the last 15 years speaks for itself. We still have work to complete on behalf of Lebanon and its residents, and now is not the time for the on-the-job training of a new mayor.”

Damian Vargas — the only other candidate officially on the Republican ballot — focused heavily on a need to address the mental health of Lebanon’s residents. He emphasized the need for community involvement and outreach to residents.

“I want our town to grow into what it can become, and I believe right now we’re not operating at full capacity and, like I’ve said many times tonight, it starts in the mind,” said Vargas in his closing statement, in which he also described his community involvement including hosting Easter egg hunts and running a pantry through his business. “I am willing and able to provide the right structure to help our town get that done.”

Sharon Zook, who is running a write-in campaign after being disqualified from the primary race due to challenged signatures, discussed her issues with blight and what she claims are illicit businesses operating outside of city ordinances (a claim disputed by Capello). She emphasized the need to work with incoming businesses to address the specific issues they face operating within the city.

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“The mayor’s office oversees many departments whose purpose is to protect the interest of our residents by enforcing the codes and ordinances and overseeing finances so that those who live, work, visit, or conduct business in Lebanon have the opportunity to grow,” said Zook in her closing statement. “I bring new leadership that is results-oriented: I listen to people, I analyze situations, I network to find solutions, and I prudently manage finances as required by law.”

While the debate was for participants in the Republican primary (with Pennsylvania holding closed primaries, in which only registered members of a party can vote in its primary), LeBeau acknowledged Democratic mayoral candidate Cesar Liriano, who was in attendance Wednesday.

Liriano is running unopposed as the Democratic candidate, and will be invited to the fall debate for the general election.

Following the mayoral debate, a similar primary debate was held for Republican candidates of the District Attorney race. In what LeBeau described as a first in her time holding candidates night forums, incumbent DA Pier Hess Graf declined to attend, leaving challenger Michael Light II, a senior public defender, as the only candidate in attendance.

Answering questions asked by LeBeau and LebTown reporter James Mentzer, Light emphasized working with victims of crimes to find closure, as well as cracking down on drug-related crime both through educational resources and police presence.

“My goal is essentially to promote victims of crime and give them the sense of closure that they need,” said Light in his opening statement. “There is a lot of improvements I wish to have, especially with victims of sexual assault.”

Light explained that Lebanon has the second-lowest rate of prosecution for sex crimes across the state. While individual cases vary on whether prosecution is feasible, he called for the engagement of SARCC and other community resources for victims.

A public defender, Light called out what he described as hostility from the DA’s office, and emphasized the need to acknowledge that both prosecutors and defenders play vital roles in the legal system.

Watch full videos of Wednesday’s Candidates Night Forum on LebTown’s Facebook page.