Pisciottano making district visits

The new state senator hopes to attend meetings in all 37 communities he represents by April.

Newly sworn-in state Sen. Nick Pisciottano, D-West Mifflin, has been visiting township officials and residents to introduce himself and to remind them that his office is open daily.

Since Pisciottano is representing 37 communities in the 45th District, he wants to make sure he and his office are there and that all the communities and school districts that they represent know who they are, especially the ones he didn’t cover as a state representative.

“A lot of the local communities need some help and my office is there to help them, so the best way to make those connections is in person and spend the time to introduce ourselves, so that’s kind of what we’ve been working on,” Pisciottano said. “We had a positive reaction everywhere we went. People appreciate that we’re taking the time to be there in person.”

Replacing Sen. Jim Brewster in the 45th District, Pisciottano said he and his office are going to have a more frequent presence in Elizabeth Township and other areas of his district. Pisciottano visited Elizabeth Forward School District this month as well as Elizabeth Township.

Brewster was also working with the school district on a number of grants to get money to rebuild the high school after the February 2023 fire, according to school board president Thomas Sharkey. Pisciottano has also been helping behind the scenes.

Pisciottano said he and his staff will continue to do the “great work” that Brewster was doing.

They hope to build on Brewster’s successes to address issues that communities care about.

“I want you guys to feel that you have a direct line of communication with my office and to me so that anything your community needs, you have an outlet to ask for those things,” Pisciottano said.

Pisciottano hopes school districts will communicate with him, and he hopes to come to meetings once or twice a year, with his staff trying to attend regularly.

“The first time in six years that I have been on the board that we’ve had a state senator come and talk to us,” Elizabeth Forward school board director Scott Henry said. “So I appreciate the outreach and the effort, so thank you.”

Elizabeth Forward Superintendent Keith Konyk said they are “confident” in Pisciottano’s help and hope he “advocates” for the school in Harrisburg.

Pisciottano added that Rob Rhoderick, a former Elizabeth Township commissioner, is his local government and community liaison, and the township as well as the school district can reach out to him. His satellite offices will continue to be in the township as well as Forward Township and Glassport.

“I think a lot of people really like the idea of Rob’s position as a local government liaison so that they have a direct conduit to me if they can’t get in touch with me directly, they can call him and then he will because that’s you know his job,” Pisciottano said. “Because he’ll be actively involved in the community from the beginning, he’ll be much more familiar with all the issues we are dealing with, and how we can help be helpful.”

Elizabeth Township President Josh Walls thanked Pisciottano and congratulated him – hoping that their relationship is vital and strong like with Brewster. He said he looks forward to working with him.

“We have a lot of projects that we are working on and have completed and hope to work on in the future,” Walls said. “We hope to work well with you and just build a great relationship.”

Elizabeth Township Commissioner Chris Thoma also congratulated Pisciottano, stating that he seems passionate about his district. He added that he met Pisciottano’s father a couple months ago — talking very highly about him and his commitment to the community.

Thoma added that when Brewster came into the township, politics didn’t matter and all he cared about was how he could help.

“Politics is what it is. It’s how we get to the positions that we hold, but at the end of the day, we represent everybody regardless of political affiliation,” Pisciottano said. “I have a job to do for every resident and all the quarter million that I represent now, and so we put that at the wayside and get the job that we need to do for anybody that needs it.”

According to Pisciottano and his team, he is not done going to all the meetings and schools he wants to attend. He hopes to be everywhere by all 37 communities’ April meetings, “chipping away” at the list for the next couple months.

“I think it’s a responsibility of my office to make sure the local elected officials know me and have a personal relationship so that whatever their local residents are facing,” he said. “So I just think that having that personal connection, rather than only sending a letter and sending an email, to show up having staff that’s dedicated to those issues, I think it’s just the most productive way to stay in touch with the local communities and make sure that we’re addressing their needs as much as possible.”