Pat Stringer
Age: 65
Employment: Pa. Office of Inspector General (retired)
Address: 2100-block of Kensington Street
Previous Office: Harrisburg City Council, 2000-2004; Harrisburg Human Relations Commission, 1994-2000
Running for: Two-year seat
I am running because I wish to represent the citizens of Harrisburg by giving them a voice on issues that affect their everyday lives, such as safe neighborhoods, affordable housing and their rights as taxpayers. Having previously served on council, I have a clear understanding of the process and the people who must be contacted to get matters accomplished. Having served at the federal and state level, in city government and even on county committees and the recent Harrisburg Strong Plan Task Force, I am ready to once again serve my community as an elected official.
Ellis R. Rick Roy
Age: 63
Employment: Harrisburg Police Officer (retired)
Address: 600s Curtin St.
Previous Office: Dauphin County Democratic Committeeman; Harrisburg Civil Service Commission
Running for: Two-year seat and four-year seat
Ellis R. Rick Roy is a life-time resident of Harrisburg and has always been committed to the city. Mr. Roy served 35 years with the Bureau of Police and retired as a Police Lieutenant who was in charge of the Criminal Investigation Unit. Currently, Mr. Roy is the Dauphin County Democratic Committeeman for the 10th Ward 2nd Precinct, and Chair of the Harrisburg Civil Service Commission. Because of Mr. Roy’s diverse experience, he understands that public safety, economic development, and neighborhood revitalization are three very important issues.
Brad Koplinski
Age: 45
Address: 200s Sassafras Street
Current Employment: Attorney/Consultant, Penn Blue Strategies
Prior Offices: Harrisburg City Council, 2008-present
Running for: Four-year seat
I have been honored to serve on Harrisburg City Council since 2008. I have chaired both the Community and Economic Development and the Budget and Finance Committees. In those capacities, I have helped encourage smart investment in our neighborhoods and insure that the Administration is held to account on budgetary issues. Having served during three separate mayoral administrations, I have remained an independent voice for the people of our city. I remain committed to helping reduce crime and blight, as well as encouraging businesses to come to Harrisburg and making sure the quality of life in our city remains high.
Jeff Baltimore
Age: 56
Employment: BMore U., Fitness Company; Acting Deputy Director, Harrisburg Mayor’s Office of Economic Development (former)
Address: 1100s N. 17th Street
Previous Office: Harrisburg City Council, 2014-present
Running for: Two-year seat and four-year seat
Jeff Baltimore, a third-generation Harrisburg resident and graduate of Shippensburg University, has held several prominent business, planning and economic development positions in Harrisburg, York and with the Commonwealth. He has worked with youth as a baseball coach and scout leader and recently began a nutrition and fitness start-up with his son that teaches the body is a temple and emphasizes people should forever be student athletes. As Public Safety chair, Mr. Baltimore helps create and develop programs that engage youth. He believes academic, athletic, vocational, and entrepreneurial skills training is essential and a major deterrent to criminal activity.
Destini Hodges
Age: 25
Address: 2000s Zarker St.
Employment: Admin Office Technician for Safety and Security at HACC
Lived in Harrisburg: 25 years
Political Office: Harrisburg School Board, 2011-present
Running for: Two-year seat
Serving on the Harrisburg School Board has been a great learning experience for me. One tool that it provided me was being able to see how the legislative process works. To be an effective governing body, it’s important to partner with the stakeholders that are affected by the board’s decision. We must embrace accountability, transparency, and be accessible to the community. Most importantly, work together as one sound board to keep pushing forward in a positive direction. By tackling the issues that face our community and youth, we will restore pride back into Harrisburg and unify our City.
Westburn Majors
Age: 30
Address: 2300s Market St.
Employment: Government Relations, Gmerek Government Relations
Previous office: Board Member, Capital Region Water (former Harrisburg Authority)
Running for: Four-year seat
Westburn Majors, a native of Harrisburg, holds a degree in Sociology from Lincoln University and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Pennsylvania State University. Since 2008, he has worked in government relations on a wide range of public policy issues. As a board member of the Harrisburg Authority, he supported the forensic audit that helped restore public trust in the utility. Wes volunteers with the Harrisburg Basketball Booster Club, is a member of the Harrisburg Young Professionals, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., and works with Major Preparation, a non-profit created by his family to help serve the city’s youth.
Jeremiah Chamberlin
Age: 32
Address: 600s N. 2nd St.
Current Employment: Engineer and Project Manager, Volvo Construction Equipment (former)
Prior Offices: None
Running for: Two-year seat and four-year seat
The 2013 election was about how we would stop the inevitable slide into bankruptcy. This year we should be discussing about how we rebuild Harrisburg for the residents of today and the future. When polled, community groups list crime and city services (including pot holes, sinkholes, blighted properties and streetlights) as their largest issue. I developed skills from my experience as both an engineer and project manager solving problems and overseeing the projects to tackle these problems. Harrisburg will thrive only when all neighborhoods are attractive to live in and safe to travel.
Cornelius Johnson
Age: 26
Employment: Health Officer, Susquehanna Township
Address: 2900s Rumson Drive
Previous Office: None
Running for: Four-year seat
Cornelius Johnson is a Harrisburg native, a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University with two Bachelor of Science degrees in Toxicology and General Science, and serves as the Head of the Health Department for Susquehanna Township. In addition, Cornelius is pursuing his master’s degree in Public Administration from Shippensburg University. Finally, Cornelius is actively engaged in the community. He serves as a Cluster Leader for the Camp Curtin YMCA Teen Achievers Program, a member of Harrisburg Young Professionals, and is a member of the Greater Harrisburg Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Development Institute.
Ron Chapel
Age: 62
Address: 700s N. 3rd St.
Employment: Vehicle Registration Clerk, PennDOT (former)
Previous office: None
Running for: Two-year seat and four-year seat
For years, I have used the public comment period of City Council meetings to speak against issues I believe were not in the city’s best interest, including the Harrisburg Strong Plan and the parking lease. Meanwhile, I have been active in the NAACP, African-American Chamber of Commerce and American Legion Post 733. I studied political science at Wayne State University between two tours as a U.S. Marine, from which I was twice honorably discharged. I want to bring a new sense of pride to the city to help it combat unsafe streets, blight, joblessness and helplessness.
Rhonda Mays
Age: 52
Address: 1700s Herr St.
Current Employment: Budget Analyst, Pa. Dept. of Public Welfare (retired)
Prior Offices: Dauphin County Democratic Committeewoman
Running for: Four-year seat
I believe one of the most important duties of our elected officials is to be “builders of bridges” between residents and the government. It is not good enough to elect candidates into office and then allow them to act as islands of power unto themselves. The residents are the ultimate decision-makers. As a citizen of Harrisburg I am committed to positive outcomes for 1) our children because they represent our future success, 2) our historic properties, which define our past accomplishments, and 3) our residents, who are the foundation upon which our community is built. We are in exciting times.
