Plum Democratic Committee has a new mayoral candidate
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The Plum Democratic Committee has selected its new mayoral candidate.
David Biondo, 38, was unanimously selected July 21 to be the late Shawn Marcelinno’s successor to challenge Republican incumbent Harry Schlegel in the November election.
“I’m excited to carry on Shawn’s legacy, although I’m going to run my own campaign,” Biondo said after the committee meeting at the Plum Community Center. “I really never intended to run for mayor until talking with Shawn. I was very upset when I heard he passed away.”
Marcellino was playing catcher for a church league softball game the evening of June 1. He and Jimmy McBride formed Living Word of Plum’s team this year after several seasons of competing against each other.
Marcellino began to have chest pains and collapsed during the game.
He was rushed to Forbes Hospital in Monroeville where he died, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office reported.
A senior level manager at Highmark, Marcellino was 40.
Biondo plans to continue Marcellino’s efforts of addressing flooding problems throughout the borough as well as getting small businesses to open and stay open in Plum.
Marcellino’s sister, Vanessa Marcellino McClean, released a statement on behalf of the family on July 21.
She said members of the family were at the committee meeting and they have given Biondo their blessing.
“It is important that Plum has the right mayor in place to show the people of Plum that this is a community they never want to leave,” McClean said. “A community that comes together and makes things happen for the greater good.”
Committee secretary Adam Hill said Biondo has the group’s full support, and campaigning will begin as soon as he is officially on the ballot.
The family plans to petition Allegheny County in the coming weeks to remove Marcellino’s name from the ballot, and the committee will inform the county elections division of its new candidate.
“He has the right mentality to be the mayor for everybody in this borough,” Hill said of Biondo. “He wants to reach out and listen to what the community members want. He wants to support our police force and make sure they have all the training that is needed to have them do their job effectively.
“He’s friends with Shawn. Shawn had a great vision for this community; be that ear for all to listen to and the voice for everybody in this community.”
Biondo said he had known Marcellino for about 20 years and had him at his wedding. Biondo is married to Haleigh. The couple have three children; Braxtynn, 8, Silur, 7, and Lukah, 5.
Biondo has lived in the borough for about 13 years. He graduated from Woodland Hills High School in 2001 and earned a bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing from Penn State University in 2006.
He works as a senior project manager for iHeartMedia, which is in the process of moving its headquarters from Green Tree to South Fayette. The company includes WDVE, WXDX, KISS FM, 3WS and Big 104.7 FM.
He also served as a coach for teams in the Plum Baseball & Softball Association the past few years.
“I want to be able to be somebody that is there to listen to their concerns,” Biondo said. “Nothing is too little. I just want to be able to listen and help any cway I can. Plum is already a close-knit community. I’d like it to stay that way.”