Chester’s probable new mayor, Stefan Roots, will make getting Chester out of bankruptcy and straightening out the city’s finances his top priority, writes Justin Udo for KYW Newsradio.

Roots, a Chester native, Villanova University graduate, and city councilman, beat incumbent mayor Thaddeus Kirkland in the Democratic mayoral primary.

No Republican was on the ballot so it’s likely Roots will be unopposed in the November General Election.

Michael Doweary, the state-appointed receiver in charge of overseeing Chester’s finances, filed for bankruptcy protection and faced pushback from the current government.

“The receiver has always been fair and transparent since he’s been here. His authority has been challenged the whole way,” Roots said.

Roots says education will be another priority, as will making the city presentable, in light of plans to redevelop the city’s waterfront.

“If we’re going to turn this into a tourist location one of the first things we have to do is clean this place up,” Roots said. “We have to make Chester look inviting to new businesses, to homeowners, to people that will be coming into the area.”

“A lot of the focus will be on putting the pieces together to put Chester city government back together again,” he said.

Read more about Stefan Roots at KYW Newsradio.

CMP Radio spoke with Stefan Roots two weeks ago about his Chester mayoral run and what he would like to bring to the office.