Bill Baney New Lock Haven Mayor

Jeff Johnston New School Board Member

LOCK HAVEN — Bill Baney, who had made an unsuccessful run for mayor as a teen-ager years ago, fulfilled that life-long ambition on Tuesday when he edged follow Lock Haven city council member Rick Conklin for that post.

Baney had won the Democratic nomination for mayor by two votes over Steve Stevenson in the spring primary. It was close again on Tuesday, Baney using late strength in the city’s hill district to edge Conklin by 580 to 565 in the unofficial tally.

City voters also elected three council members with five candidates on the ballot. Sara Stringfellow, a junior at Lock Haven University and the niece of former mayor Rick Vilello, finished number one with 695 votes. Baney was second with 680 but he will relinquish his council seat upon his swearing in as mayor. Doug Bylerly was third with 525. Jonathan Bravard was next with 514 votes and Machelle Alexander-Bressler trailed with 503.

Stringfellow renewed her pledge to improve the “town-gown” relationship between the local university and the city. She also noted that she would take Wednesday off from her classes at the local school as she would be observing her 21st birthday.

Bravard has served as interim mayor following Vilello’s departure to accept a position in the Gov. Tom Wolf administration in Harrisburg. Sitting city council members will have to decide a council replacement for Baney following his resignation from council.

An incumbent mayor was knocked out in western Clinton County on Tuesday. South Renovo Mayor Frank Morton fell to Robert Cozzi by a 62-23 count.

A former educator and a Lock Haven University technology expert were vying to replace the ousted Jack Peters from Region Eight on the Keystone Central School Board; the retired educator came out on top. Jeff Johnston used a strong showing in his home precinct of Bald Eagle Township to down Boise “Bo” Miller by a final 551 to 505 margin.

There were a number of contested supervisor races across the county. Results included:
Bald Eagle Township, Jack Bechdel (R), 227, Thomas Cannon (D), 123; Beech Creek Township, Joe Berry (D), 99, Gary Packer (R), 75; Pine Creek Township, Dennis Greenaway (D), 349, Bryan Poorman (R), 342; Porter Township, Mike Champion (R), 249, Nevin Courter (D), 103; and Wayne Township, David Calhoun (D), 195, Miles Houseknecht (R), 172.

There was a contested race for two 2-year terms on Flemington borough council. Unofficial election night results showed David Grimm with 197, Traci Kuntz with 196 and John Gugliocciello with 146.