Oldest And Longest-Serving Pittsburgh-Area Mayor Reveals His Future Plans

WEST HOMESTEAD, Pa. (KDKA) -- He's probably the oldest mayor in Pennsylvania and one of the longest-serving.

As political editor Jon Delano reports, 93-year-old John Dindak has no opposition for another four-year term and shares his future political plans.

Delano: Why would someone in his 90s want to continue to serve as mayor?

Dindak: Point one, it gives me something to do since I retired from U.S. Steel.

Dindak, the mayor of West Homestead, turns 94 this September, and he's up for re-election for a job he's held since 1972. First elected to council in 1969, Dindak has seen a lot of change in his 52 years of public service.

"We had like almost 4,000 people living in the borough at that time. When Mesta Machine, U.S. Steel and American Shear & Knife cut back, we lost all those people," Dindak said.

"We used to have 13 saloons, two hotels, two clubs. Today, we have one club – the Bulgarian Club – and one bar, one saloon," he added.

What has helped his borough recover has been the development of The Waterfront on the site of the old Homestead Steel Works, something Dindak worked hard to create 20 years ago.

"When The Waterfront development came in, we got involved with the developer. As a matter of fact, he and I hit it off pretty good. He used to come in on his helicopter once every other week," Dindak said.

Dindak still goes into the office every day and drives around his borough every morning, greeting new people he hasn't met.

"We have a lot of young people moving into the borough now, and I love this new generation coming in," he said.

This may explain why he is unopposed for his 13th term this November. So when that term is up in 2027, what is next?

Delano: Are you going to tell us that's your last term, or might you keep at this?

Dindak: Hell no. What am I going to do? You want to give me a part-time job?

Delano: So you're going to run again at age 98?

Dindak: Why not? You got something better for me to do?