A Ligonier Advocate

STORY BY Patrick McCloskey

PHOTOS BY Herb Speer

Ormond “Butch” Bellas has been the mayor of the quaint little town of Ligonier, nestled in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania, for 20 years. A passionate fan of the community, Butch has dedicated his life to the preservation of all that is good about Ligonier. Here are his thoughts on being mayor and being a longtime member of the community.

LHM: What is your background, and how did you come to be the mayor of Ligonier?

MAYOR BELLAS: It goes back a long way. I was originally asked to be on the planning commission because I was always suggesting that certain things needed repaired. Eventually, members of the commission asked me to join because I had good ideas and they wanted the suggestions to be official. An opening for city council became available, and I became a member of council for nine years, which eventually led to the mayor’s office.

LHM: What are some of the duties of mayor?

MAYOR BELLAS: The mayor actually should be titled ‘traffic cop.’ I am always telling folks who ask questions where to go to get answers. I give directions like a traffic cop. I believe in civic duty and when asked to run for the mayor position, I gladly accepted. I am 110 percent pro-business and am constantly promoting opportunities for local business to thrive and contribute to the community. Part of my function is to support the community and the Fort, which is the cornerstone of Ligonier. I was on the board of trustees for Fort Ligonier for two terms and see it as a tourist attraction that should always support the local businesses and community in general.

Sixty-five percent of the population of Ligonier is retired, and we rely on foundations like the Mellon Foundation and others to support our programs and promote the tourism that is so vital to our area. As mayor, I am meeting with Foundation heads regularly to inform them of our plans for expansion and needs for the community. I am also a daily advocate for cleanliness in our borough and make sure that the local entities responsible for that maintenance are doing a good job. I always tell people who ask, “We are a small town with small problems, and everyone is important.”

(I also) perform marriages as mayor. (Since I’m) not fond of public speaking, my vows for couples are roughly eight minutes long. I don’t waste much time tying the knot for young couples looking for my assistance. The more ceremonies that we do, the more tourism is promoted in our area. Ligonier is a wonderful place to get married and honeymoon.

LHM: What do you hope to accomplish in 2021 by way of community improvements?

MAYOR BELLAS: Aside from continually trying to promote Ligonier as a pristine community, we always hope to expand tourism by making Fort Ligonier Days and related symposiums and school programs a growing reality. We do have a major project in the works for a set of wings to be constructed and dedicated at the annual Ice Fest. This project is in conjunction with the Cultural Trust of Westmoreland County and will showcase some of the local lore engraved on those angel wings. It will be a great place for reflection as well as a good photo opportunity for tourists. The construction of these wings will be in a quiet place in Ligonier, which will not only provide a place for reflection, but showcase what is historical and important in our community.

I am also working with the city council to (offer) free parking on Saturdays and Sundays to promote local business. If we are to develop local business and tourism, we can’t hamper our visiting public with parking fees that would tend to steer them away during the holidays and throughout the year.

When asked about the effects of the pandemic on the town of Ligonier, Bellas responded that it has been tough on the local economy. As restrictions to services became acute at the beginning of the pandemic in early spring of 2020, restaurants in particular were affected. Limited to take out and no indoor seating, restaurants in the town were hit hard.

Even as the restrictions were eased, there were several instances throughout this last year where there was an uptick in Covid infections, and at the last minute the state or county regulators imposed a shut down on restaurants,” Bellas says. He’d like to see a return to normal indoor capacity seating now that vaccines are being distributed and cases are shrinking. “The sooner that happens, the better for the struggling restaurant business and associated Ligonier economy.”

LHM: What is your attraction to Fort Ligonier?

MAYOR BELLAS: Well, I have been a fan of the Fort ever since I was young. As a contractor for the phone company for years, I was always helping with needs at the Fort, and, in fact, after a major flood, which was filling the basement of the Fort, I retrieved valuable artifacts and paintings that were in storage that would have been lost forever. I feel responsible to the Fort and all that it represents for our region.

LHM: We also know you were a member of the ski patrol at Laurel Mountain Ski Area. What was your background and interest in that?

MAYOR BELLAS: I learned to ski at Laurel Mountain back when I was 26 years old. I am now 76 so you can see how long I have been skiing. I used to do a lot at the ski area when I was with the phone company, and eventually the patrol guys asked me to join because I was always fixing things that needed repaired. Recently I built some ski racks so that people would not have to put their skis up against the building. I recently retired from the ski patrol, and my daughter Kimi is currently the head of the patrol at Laurel, which continues my legacy. I have always loved Laurel Mountain, and I tell people all the time, “Laurel is a small area that skis big.”

LHM: Any final thoughts, Mayor Bellas?

MAYOR BELLAS: It has always been a privilege to serve the Ligonier community. I always have been involved with small repair projects that brought me to my current position. I write letters to the powers-to-be in government asking for assistance when needed. I am enthusiastic about support from the state and local governments and again, the Foundations, which support all that we love about our town. Come visit.

Visit the community website at www.LigonierBorough.com.