Clinton County Municipal Election
Commissioners, DA and Row Offices at Stake
LOCK HAVEN – There will be plenty of reasons for Clinton County’s 20,493 registered voters to go to the polls in next Tuesday’s municipal election.
Voters from across the county will get to choose three county commissioners, a district attorney, a sheriff, a register and recorder, a prothonotary and three auditors. Plus there will be a myriad of local races, highlighted by the election of a new Lock Haven mayor for the first time in 16 years.
The three incumbent county commissioners are seeking reelection, Republicans Pete Smeltz and Jeff Snyder going for a second term, minority Democrat Joel Long seeking a third four-year term. Former Castanea Township supervisor Paul Conklin is the second Democrat on the Nov. 3 ballot. The top three finishers will be elected; voters may vote for no more than two of the four candidates.
All four were part of a Lock Haven Express candidates’ night on Wednesday of this week. And the incumbent Republicans Smeltz and Snyder made a point to say all three current commissioners, including Long, agreed four years ago to, as Snyder said, “leave politics at the door.” All three incumbents emphasized their ability to work together. Challenger Conklin stressed “a need to work together” and called for a regional emphasis to problem solving.
Snyder defended the ouster of the prison warden and her chief deputy earlier this year. In response to a question he said stability had been restored in prison operations with the hiring of new warden John Rawley. Snyder said changes were made because of concerns about the safety of the prison staff and the inmates. Conklin questioned if there had been malfeasance in the prison situation, stating not enough information had been disseminated at the time of the change-over there.
On the staff changes at the prison, Smeltz said, “My heart goes out to those affected by the decisions made,” but several times said prison operations are “headed in the right direction.” Long said the county did “what needed to be done” at the prison.
The incumbent commissioners defended the long-standing practice of closing county offices on Wednesday afternoon; challenger Conklin called the procedure “an archaic way” to operate.
County voters will choose a new district attorney, Karen Kuebler serving as an interim appointee in that post after Judge Michael Salisbury was elected to the bench in 2013. Next Tuesday’s candidates are former district attorney Fred Lingle, a Republican, and current public defender Dave Strouse, a Democrat.
Lingle and Strouse were part of the Wednesday forum. Strouse said most of Lingle’s ideas are his (Strouse’s), “So I’m flattered.” Lingle termed Strouse’s ideas as “extremely vague.”
The younger Strouse called the older Lingle’s comments about Strouse’s experience as “underhanded.” Strouse said no one in the county has handled more criminal cases. Lingle said if Strouse would win the county would have to cover the cost of a special prosecutor for trying cases in which Strouse had been a defense attorney.
Both said they support the death penalty and both spoke favorably about the county’s new treatment court. Both said the issue of drugs in the county has to be addressed and Strouse expressed concern about the level of domestic violence in the county.
The county will also see a new sheriff as incumbent Chuck Ankney is stepping down upon completion of his current term after 20 years in the position. Candidates to replace him are Democrat/current deputy sheriff Kerry Stover and Republican/former security officer Ed Higgins.
There is a contested race for register and recorder: on the Republican side is the current officer holder, the appointed Jennifer Hoy. She is being opposed by Democrat Jason Walker, a food service administrator at Lock Haven University.
The three incumbent auditors will be on the ballot in Democrats Michelle Crowell and Butch Rooney and Republican Peggy Heller. Former auditor Rita O’Brien is the second Republican on the ballot; as in the commissioners’ race, the top three vote-getters will be elected.
County prothonotary Marie Vilello is the lone name on the ballot for a second term in that position, having won both party nominations without opposition in the spring.
There is one contested school board race, that in Keystone Central’s Region VIII, consisting of Flemington borough and the townships of Bald Eagle and Castanea. Bo Miller won the Democratic nomination while Jeff Johnston took the GOP nomination.
Incumbent board members Wayne Koch, Greg Strouse, Debra Smith and Charlie Rosamilia are without opposition to win another term in their respective regions.
Lock Haven will be getting a new mayor. Longtime officeholder Rick Vilello resigned earlier this year to accept a post in the administration of new governor Tom Wolf. Vilello had been first elected in 1999 and council member Jonathan Bravard was selected by fellow council members to serve as interim mayor until the end of this year.
Candidates to replace Vilello are two veteran city representatives in current council members Bill Baney (D) and Rick Conklin (R). Baney had edged fellow council member Steve Stevenson by one vote in the Democratic primary while Conklin was unopposed for the Republican nod. Baney has also filed to be on the ballot for another term as a council member. He is part of a five-member field seeking three council seats. Other Democrats are Bravard and Sarah Stringfellow, niece of Vilello and appointed to council upon his departure for Harrisburg. Republicans are the appointed Machell Alexander-Bressler and Doug Byerly.
There are contested supervisor races in a number of townships including Bald Eagle, Beech Creek, Pine Creek, Porter and Wayne. Two townships, East and West Keating, have no candidates for either supervisor or local auditor.
There is a race for mayor of South Renovo featuring incumbent Republican Frank Morton opposed by Democrat Robert Cozzi.
County voters also get a say in choosing state supreme and commonwealth court judges. A complete listing of all candidates can be found in this week’s print Record.
County polling places will be open Tuesday, Nov. 3 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. There are 8,929 Democrats and 8,806 Republicans eligible to vote, along with 2,758 “others.”
For the first time, therecord-online will be providing live coverage from the third floor of the Garden Building where results will be tabulated election night.
