Vote
SHAWN KERESTUS
For Council
A long-time resident and leader of an established, results-oriented community organization.
When Shawn moved to Penn Hills 13 years ago, he knew that he wanted to make it his home. He bought his first home here and was overwhelmed with joy to be surrounded by incredible neighbors and friends.
He became a Board Member of the Penn Hills Community Development Corporation (CDC) in 2018 and President In 2020. In his role, he oversees and supports a number of important community functions, including fundraising, partnerships with other Penn Hills organizations, and identifying ways to improve the quality of life for all residents. They are currently undertaking a massive Penn Hills community census project where they are identifying the needs of each individual neighborhood in Penn Hills with the goal of turning those needs into outcomes over the next 5 years.
He can facilitate key partnerships with community stakeholders to identify and implement improvements.
As a resident and community leader, he knows that our community has problems that must be addressed. He firmly believes that for our community to thrive, we need to start working together with all the do-gooders and public servants across Penn Hills. This includes extending an olive branch to our School District officials and all nonprofit organizations in the area.
Likewise, he will prioritize working with our neighboring communities. Taking a regional approach to solutions rather than a “go it alone” mindset will result in the types of improvements we all want to see in Penn Hills.
He is focused on actionable solutions and improved operation of local government.
Shawn believes we need to stop pretending that violent crime, especially gun violence, isn’t a detriment to our community. There are many, proven plans that we can put into action to address this problem. Solutions include smart policing, including more police-community engagement, and increased youth engagement. This includes focusing on program opportunities, mentoring, and increasing recreational activity offerings.
We also need a municipal government that has increased representation and transparency. The Home Rule Charter, originally enacted in 1973, must be reviewed by an established committee with voters having an opportunity to determine whether changes are necessary. Our council should be expanded to mandate representation from each of our 9 wards to ensure all neighborhoods have a fair voice and their problems are being addressed.
He wants to increase communication to our residents that want it. Imagine during a winter storm how nice it would be to receive a text message letting you know when primary, secondary, and tertiary roads have been treated. Simple tweaks like this make a huge difference in residents’ lives. It just takes someone to stand up and push for change.
“I am asking you to give me 4 years to drive the change we want to see in Penn Hills. Let’s create real change in our community and better the lives of all residents.”
If you have any questions for him, he would love to hear from you at kerestus@gmail.com.
He thanks you for your consideration.