Clinton County Election 2013 (Video Report)
Salisbury, Kunes and Hanna Win County Posts
by John Lipez
LOCK HAVEN—Clinton County voters split their tickets on Tuesday, electing one countywide Republican nominee, one Democratic nominee and one Republican who had garnered both major party nominations in the spring.
When the unofficial canvas was completed Tuesday night, current county district attorney Mike Salisbury was confirmed as the county’s next Judge of Common Pleas, securing both party nominations unopposed in the spring and garnering 99 percent of the Nov. 5 vote.
Appearing in the county’s Garden Building as the results were being tabulated, Salisbury ended several months of speculation as to who will replace him as district attorney once he becomes judge after the first of the new year.
Salisbury said he will appoint Karen Kuebler, his assistant for the last several years, as the interim district attorney.
A former Centre County assistant district attorney, Kuebler recently moved to Clinton County, a state requirement for the job. As part of her appointment, Salisbury said, she has agreed to not seek the position when a permanent replacement will be selected by the voters in 2015.
Salisbury said his approach was a fair one, choosing not to choose between two prospective appointees in Republican Thom Rosamilia and Democrat Dave Strouse. Salisbury said others besides those two have also indicated an interest in the position; all would have the option of running in 2015.
The county will have a new coroner for the first time in 20 years.
Democrat Zach Hanna won his first try at elective office, taking 56 percent of the county vote to Republican opponent Eric Brungard’s 43 percent; the final tally Hanna 3,535 and Brungard 2,739.
Hanna had the backing of fellow Democrat and current coroner Donald G. “Woozy” Walker whose 20 years in office is the longest in county history.
Hanna and Brungard were both deputy coroners under Walker. Hanna said he was gratified with the results.
Appointed county treasurer Michelle Kunes romped to victory; the Republican office holder compiled 57 percent of the vote (3,557 votes) to Democrat Ashley Boyer Strouse’s 28 percent (1,730) and independent Richard Morris who had 15 percent, 934 votes.
Kunes credited Pat Edwards, her predecessor in the office, with preparing her for running the treasurer’s office.
For Kunes the win means a full 4-year term after she had served in an acting/appointed capacity for nearly two years following Edwards’ retirement.
While many local municipalities had uncontested races, there were a few head-to-head match-ups.
Perhaps the most unusual election night result was in Beech Creek Township where incumbent supervisor Colby Bechdel was the only candidate on the ballot.
The unofficial tally showed Bechdel with 34 votes and “write-in” with 178. A township election worker told The Record Tuesday night Keith Bittner was the apparent unofficial winner, based on his write-in total; the official canvas must be completed to confirm that result.
One write-in candidate who was not successful was Alice Tarr in Chapman Township. She had challenged incumbent Tim Horner who had won both party nominations in the primary.
The unofficial Tuesday results showed Horner with 137 votes to 56 for “write-in,” not enough to unseat the incumbent.
Other contested supervisor races included:
Bald Eagle Township, incumbent James Bechdel, Sr., 199 votes, to Thomas Cannon’s 90 votes;
Noyes Township, Richard Grenell, Sr. on top with 68 votes to Juan Rivera with 40;
Porter Township, Larry Dotterer with 174 votes to 126 for Nevin Courter;
Wayne Township, incumbent James Maguire with 200 votes to Robin Condo with 167;
And Woodward Township, a 2-year term, Marie Selfe, 326 votes; Eric Jacobs, 276 votes.
In Mill Hall four candidates were vying for three borough council seats; the top three were Samuel Hoy, 211; Anthony “Tony” Walker, 198; and Richard Hetzel, Jr., 171. Finishing fourth was Thomas Evers with 103 votes.
Five candidates were running for four council seats in Renovo and current Mayor Donald Pagnotto is the odd man out:
Patricia Rauch received 164 votes; Ann Tarantella garnered 162 votes; Merry Ann Olshefskie, 87 votes; and Paul Fantaskey, 82 votes. Pagnotto finished fifth with 79 votes.
Colleen Testa was unopposed for a 2-year term on Renovo council.
Carl Olshefskie will be the new Renovo mayor; he won both party nominations in the spring and polled 154 votes on Tuesday to 20 for “write-in.”
Lock Haven voters selected Paula Dickey as the new city treasurer with 471 votes to Wade Williams with 335; longtime city controller Sharon Suter won re-election without opposition.
Four Keystone Central school board members were unopposed for re-election: Albert Jones, Butch Knauff, Tom Shafer and Greg Strouse. There was no school board candidate on the ballot to represent Lock Haven’s hill district.
The county voter turnout was 31 percent, better than twice the turnout from the spring primary.
