The population of Monaca, where Stephen Vincenti began work last week as borough manager, is 6,286 -- 420 fewer people than in Crafton, where Vincenti was manager from April 2002 to March 2003.

Although the towns are of similar size, Vincenti notes ,there are quite a few differences.

"For one thing there are some flat areas in Monaca," Vincenti wryly observes in comparing the more hilly terrain of Crafton to the riverfront town.

Monaca also has more assets to manage than Crafton, Vincenti explains. It owns and operates water and sewage plants. The financial, personnel, facilities, equipment and service delivery concerns of those operations will now be a part of Vincenti's work.

A $2 million upgrade to the water system is just getting under way.

For Vincenti, 47, his new job represents a return to municipal service. After leaving the Crafton post 16 months ago, he has been selling health and long-term care insurance.

Vincenti says Monaca is in good shape, and he's hopeful about making things even better.

"They are very fiscally sound and have a good capital improvement plan in place," says Vincenti.

Vincenti, who will earn $42,000 a year, replaces Rod Stauffer, who served as borough manager from November 2002 until September 2003. Stauffer quit because he did not wish to comply with an ordinance that required he live in Monaca.

Monaca is a member of the Rivertown Partnership of Beaver County and participates in the Main Street Pennsylvania program. Vincenti hopes to work to continue the town's main street revitalization efforts.

He also hopes to work on the borough's contracted services programs, strategic planning and economic development.

Vincenti will not be required to move to Monaca because the residency ordinance has been amended. He plans to stay in Crafton, where he says he and his family moved to be closer to the cultural opportunities of Pittsburgh.

Vincenti says he enjoys the arts and is a member of the Western Pennsylvania Historical Society. He is particularly interested in the Revolutionary War period of American history.

He owns a country gentlemen's costume from that time period and uses it as a prop in presentations he occasionally delivers to schoolchildren about American liberty and the price of freedom.

Vincenti holds a bachelor's degree in geography from Penn State University and a master's degree in public administration with a specialization in gerontology from Marywood University in Scranton.

He is a native of the northeastern Pennsylvania town of Tunkhannock. He worked for 10 years in Lycoming County, first as zoning administrator from 1992 to 1999 and then as director of the tax claim bureau.