Incoming Scranton City Councilman Gerald Smurl discusses goals, 2023 budget

Dec. 9—SCRANTON — Gerald Smurl's city council tenure will begin Tuesday when he's sworn-in and assumes the seat formerly held by Kyle Donahue — bringing a new voice and background to the five-member body.

Council voted 4-0 this week to appoint Smurl, 61, a contractor by trade and the longtime proprietor of Smurl HVAC LLC, to replace Donahue, who resigned last week to assume office as state representative for the 113th House District. Smurl will resign Monday from the city Housing Appeals Board, where he's served since 2014, to take on his new role.

He recently resigned from the Scranton Municipal Recreation Authority that primarily oversees Nay Aug Park, where Smurl and others volunteered significant time and labor in recent years. Keeping parks clean and safe and ridding neighborhoods of blight are goals of the incoming councilman.

Smurl's appointment to the $12,500-a-year council job runs through 2023, but he doesn't plan to be a placeholder, confirming his intent to run in next year's election to fill the remainder of Donahue's unexpired term. That term runs into January 2026.

Smurl met Friday with the newspaper inside his "man cave" at 305 Prospect Ave., a former bar building he purchased and renovated. It's across the street from his home at Prospect Avenue and Orchard Street — which boasts an expansive and highly popular Christmas display — and one of several nearby properties he acquired and rehabilitated as part of a broader investment in the city.

His answers to the following questions have been edited for length and clarity.

Why did you seek this appointment?

Well, when I saw Kyle leaving, I thought it would be a good opportunity. You get frustrated in the neighborhood. You drive down the street (and) there's things you see constantly you don't like. ... So, I figured instead of just being the guy that's going to stand around and complain about everything, jump in, get involved. ... Maybe I can get a lot more done.

What do you expect your working relationship with Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti's administration to be like?

I would like to have open communication with Mayor Cognetti and her entire administration. I think we all have the same goals. ... I think I've got to be able to talk to her (Cognetti). I've got to be able to say 'hey, if you have a problem you just call me and ask me, because if I have something I am certainly going to call you or contact you.' I don't want the guy down the street to say 'well, you know what Jerry said about you?' Not going to happen. I'm going to tell you to your face. I've never done it any other way. We're all the same. We're here doing the same thing. It's the same goal. I want (Scranton) safer and I want it cleaner than I found it.

What do you think about the amended 2023 city budget that raises property taxes 2%?

My thoughts on the budget is creation of new jobs, to raise taxes, it doesn't seem to be the right thing to do. I get cost-of-living increases. I understand ... your health insurance (cost) is going to go up. There's going to be tax increases. I would never say I'm not going to raise taxes, because that's just a lie. If (the city's) insurance (cost) goes up, and I don't raise your taxes this year to cover the insurance, then the following year, I'm gonna have to double that. And then we have to borrow money and then we'll have to pay the interest on that money. ... I want minimal (tax increases). I want 1%, 1 1/2 % max tax increase if it happens.

Why do you plan on running for the seat again in next year's election?

I think to invest one year, by the time you get comfortable (and) you start getting things operating, I don't believe you can finish anything within 12 months. ... If I feel that I'm making a difference, I'll stay. But, you know, if I'm in there and the votes (are going to be) four to one ... then I'm the wrong guy. I don't think that'll happen.

What could council do better?

I think I'm going to learn that as I'm there. I don't know what they have problems doing or information they have problems getting. ... I don't know how well they work together. They seem OK, but you won't know until you're there, right? ... It's not a part-time job. I don't believe it's a part-time job. I think ... it's going to be every day you're going to be involved somehow with (the) direction of people's lives in the city.

Contact the writer:

jhorvath@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9141;

@jhorvathTT on Twitter.