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About Tom McGroarty
- Thomas "Tom" McGroarty is an American Democratic Party politician who served as the mayor of the city of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania from 1996 to January 5, 2004. He took his oath of office just after midnight, surprising the outgoing mayor.He served as the twenty-second mayor of the City of Wilkes-Barre.
- McGroarty was from East End and was born on December 22, 1962.
- In 1983, McGroarty was elected to Wilkes-Barre City Council and served for twelve years before his election as mayor. McGroarty graduated from Coughlin High School, Luzerne County Community College and Bloomsburg University.
- He was both an officer and enlisted member of the 109th Field Artillery, where he served as service battery commander. McGroarty was elected mayor in 1995 and re-elected in 1999.
- He was the only mayor to be elected both as a Democratic and Republican, having waged a successful write in campaign as a Republican in 1995.
- By securing the both nominations, McGroarty enjoyed relationships with both Democratic and Republicans officials. McGroarty expanded city services in each of the city's twelve neighborhoods.
- But his main focus became emergency preparedness and recovery, as a result of a blizzard and significant flooding in his first month in office.
- McGroarty met President William J.
- Clinton at the White House, and hosted the President during a tour of Wilkes-Barre on February 16, 1996.
- During his visit, President Clinton announced federal funding for the Wyoming Valley Levee Raising Project, which provided flood protection.
- Long after McGroarty's departure, those same levees, enhanced on his watch, protected Wilkes-Barre in September 2011, when river levels were 42.66 feet, 1.75 feet above the flood level of Hurricane Agnes.
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