New faces will make up almost a third of Allegheny County Council next year no matter what happens in the May 19 primary election.

Four members on the 15-seat council aren't seeking re-election for the job that pays $9,000 a year.

Republicans Heather Heidelbaugh of Mt. Lebanon and Jan Rea of McCandless and Democrat Amanda Green-Hawkins of Stanton Heights aren't running, and Councilman Bill Robinson, D-Hill District, withdrew because the validity of his nominating petition was challenged.

Councilwoman Barbara Danko, D-Regent Square, is the only incumbent with a primary challenger — Caroline Mitchell, 68, from Squirrel Hill.

Danko, 61, said county Executive Rich Fitzgerald asked Mitchell to run because Danko and Fitzgerald disagreed about natural gas drilling deals at Pittsburgh International Airport property and Deer Lakes Park.

Fitzgerald has called Danko — who was appointed in 2011 to fill the council seat he vacated — an obstructionist.

“I'm not an obstructionist. I'm not ‘against progress.' I just have a different idea about different policy issues, and I think they deserved to be discussed,” Danko said.

Fitzgerald nominated Mitchell, a retired attorney and chemical engineer, to the county Board of Health in January. She announced her intent to run for council in February.

“For someone to say, ‘Oh, someone is going to be able to tell Caroline what to do,' I don't think they know me very well,” Mitchell said.

She and Fitzgerald disagreed about drilling in Deer Lakes Park, they said.

Fitzgerald said he supports Mitchell but did not ask her to run.

“She wants to be part of a team ... of people who want to move the county forward,” he said.

Democrats Denise Ranalli-Russell and Dan Connolly are competing for the chance to run in November for Green-Hawkins' seat.

Ranalli-Russell, 48, of Brighton Heights took over her father's barber shop when he died about a year ago. Senior citizens who stop by for haircuts tell her they are concerned about rising Allegheny County Sanitary Authority rates. She said she wants to help small businesses, repair roads. and keep county parks free of drilling.

“I promise everyone in my district I will be an independent voice,” she said. “I'm not that ‘yes' person.”

Connolly, 31, of the Strip District said he would have voted against the Deer Lakes Park drilling and won't be a “rubber stamp” for Fitzgerald.

He returned to Pittsburgh in 2009 after working in Washington for several years for the late Sen. Arlen Specter, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and a transportation policy firm. In Pittsburgh, he works with private companies on development.

“I thought my experience in economic development would be beneficial,” Connolly said. “Having worked in transportation policy, one issue I'm excited about tackling is our massive infrastructure and public transportation challenges.”

Fitzgerald said he supports Connolly for the seat.

Republicans Mary Anne Eisenreich and Cindy Kirk are competing in the primary for Rea's District 2 seat.

Eisenreich, 64, of McCandless said she realized she wasn't ready to leave public service when her tenure as director of former Gov. Tom Corbett's Southwest office ended in January. Corbett appointed her to the state Board of Education but Gov. Tom Wolf overturned her appointment.

Her background in state government, business contacts and experience working with Republicans and Democrats would help council, she said.

“I think you can work with anybody if you build a relationship and find common ground,” she said.

Kirk, 58, of McCandless said her lack of government experience would make her a good councilwoman. She is a nurse administrator at UPMC Presbyterian in Oakland and said she's a problem-solver.

“If you're not used to how things are done, you question things more,” Kirk said. “I would be more natural to think out of the box.”

Sam DeMarco, 56, of North Fayette has no challengers in his bid for Heidelbaugh's at-large Republican seat. A Marine Corps veteran, DeMarco is a sales executive for Ricoh USA, a copy machine company, and head of the conservative nonprofit Veterans and Patriots United.

DeMarco said he believes in limited government and fiscal responsibility.

Democrat DeWitt Walton, 65, of the Hill District is seeking Robinson's seat. Walton is assistant to Leo W. Gerard, the international president of the United Steelworkers.

“I thought that for the things that I believe in, I was better prepared to build a broad-based coalition and get things done,” Walton said.

Walton said he favors reducing income inequality, instituting a living wage, protecting the environment and supporting the gay community. Even though council might not have authority over those issues, he said members can be advocates.

No candidates are challenging Vice President Nick Futules, 62, of Oakmont for his District 7 seat or Councilman John Palmiere, 72, of Baldwin Township for his District 6 seat in the primary.

Council President John DeFazio, 74, of Shaler had primary opposition from Richard Bradford, 28, of Wilkinsburg for his at-large Democrat seat, but a challenge of Bradford's nominating petition removed him from the ballot.

Republican Sue Means, 63, of Bethel Park doesn't have a primary challenger. No Democrats have filed.

Aaron Aupperlee is a Trib Total Media staff writer. Reach him at 412-320-7986 or aaupperlee@tribweb.com.

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