Youth Leaders Introduced To County Governance
LOCK HAVEN – The Bucktail Youth Leadership participants met at the Clinton County Economic Partnership (CCEP) Office for their March session. The day started with the students providing a three minute informational speech on a subject of their choice. The group was then joined by Mike Flanagan, Executive Director, Julie Brennan, Tourist Director, and April Henry-Bittner, Coordinator, of the CCEP. Flanagan outlined the work he coordinates to attract and retain business within the county and to assure that there is an appropriate economic driver balance. He explained the new business venture in Renovo which would convert natural gas into electricity and provide many jobs to build the plant over two years, and create 30 permanent positions to run the plant. Brennan distributed promotional materials of the many activities, events, and attractions in our area, noting that there is always something to do in Clinton County, with a special emphasis on our State Parks and forestry attractions. Bittner coordinates the Leadership Clinton County program with a goal to get participants to be confident and trained to serve our community’s organizations and as well as provide networking opportunities to promote businesses and CCEP members. Leadership Clinton County alums generously provide financial support to the Bucktail Youth Leadership Program.
The students then visited the District Attorney’s Office and met with DA David Strouse. Strouse provided an overview of the work of his office in the various law enforcement components. He gave the sophomores sage advice, while acknowledging that mistakes happen as a part of growing up, suggesting that they pay close attention to getting plenty of sleep, eating right, and read books to create a broader view of the world. In addition he stated the importance of surrounding yourself with friends that exhibit good behaviors and to embrace opportunities in their lives that they might not expect.
The next stop of the day was a tour of the Commissioners’ Office and meeting with Jann Myers, Chief Clerk, and Maria Boileau, Director of Voter Registration. The voting process was explained to the group, and everyone was surprised to learn that there are more than 150 registered parties are available in Clinton County. More than 160 workers in the county help the voting process in 34 precincts within the County. The role of the County Commissioners expands many areas including the county jail, Susqueview, elections, Probation Services, Children and Youth, Coroner’s Office, 911 Center, and nearly 240 county employees. The commissioners sit on many boards in the community to stay informed of the activity and needs in the County.
The students then toured the County Courthouse and met with Court Administrator, Don Powers, and Prothonotary, Maria Vilello. The role of the prothonotary is to keep the accurate records of the court orders and naturalization records. The students were shown how to look up information in both the historical paper records kept in metal boxes and microfiche records of public proceedings. They toured the main courtroom and Powers pointed out the historical architectural designs of the building. To conclude the tour, the students watched a demonstration of court reporting techniques from Jason Williamson.
The Bucktail Youth Leadership Program is coordinated by Bobbie Jo Simcox and Gwen Bechdel as an activity club at Bucktail High School. This year’s participates include Anna Cowfer, Maria D’onofrio, and Katelyn Pick. The mission of the program is to provide educational experiences to help develop awareness in the areas of community, culture, and government. Each session throughout the nine-month program includes a focus on leadership building, communication, and other life skills activities, and a public speaking component is assigned each time. The students are expected to gain a better understanding of the society in which they live, realize their own wealth of abilities and interests, and demonstrate how their involvement can impact their communities.
