I was born and raised in Philipsburg, returned to my home town after college, where I taught, coached and was the athletic director at the Philipsburg-Osceola Area High School for 18 years. I attended Clarion University for my B.S., Penn State University where I received my masters degree in education administration, and from St. Bonaventure University for my K-12 principal’s certification.
I retired as a classroom teacher with 37 years in public education from the DuBois Area School District.
I grew up in the Moshannon Valley where I still have many friends and relatives.
I am married to Karen Abbott, an R.N. working at the DuBois Regional Medical Center Emergency Room. We have been married for 39 years in April.
We have three grown children, five grandchildren with a sixth expected before this campaign ends.
I was awarded “Teacher of the Year” by the Clearfield County Conservation Group, Sports Official of the Year in Pennsylvania for Baseball, Division I Women’s Basketball Official, PIAA Official in Football, Basketball, Baseball, and Track. I have been a sports official for over 40 years and have worked many play-off and state title games.
I am a member of the Philipsburg Elks, Athletic Club, Life member of the Bald Eagle Fraternal Order of Police, Life Member of the Hope Fire Company, Garfield Lodge of Free Masons, and the SOI Club. I am also the small business
As county commissioner, I will focus on the reduction of the county’s unemployment.
I will concentrate my efforts on unification of the county.
I will be in tune with the wants and needs of our county’s villages, towns and cities. I promise to cooperate with and work in conjunction with our community leaders (including mayors, city managers, township supervisors, police and firemen).
As commissioner I will also focus on keeping department heads up to date on activities within the county by hold bimonthly meetings.
I will try to convince other commissioners to hold county meetings at various locations throughout the county to improve attendance and awareness of the role of the county government.
These satellite meetings will help make our county government business more open and transparent.
Clearfield County‘s timber and coal, was and continues to fuel our nation, and help build homes. Now our nation turns to us again to help heat homes, fuel our vehicles, and help the job market through Marcellus Shale drilling. Each of our fossil fuels has taken our natural resources out of our county and developed job and economic development far away from Clearfield County. Clearfield County needs to learn from our past and look to the future when taping into this expansive gas resource. Why can’t the citizens of Clearfield County be a benefactor of this natural gas boom? Why can we not take two or more of these drill sites and offer free or very inexpensive gas to our county residences, especially when they taking it from our backyard? These two questions should headline each candidate that seeks the commissioners position. The hard part is the solution. Your next Clearfield County Commissioner needs to be a problem solver, problem seeker, not just part of the problem offering senseless rhetoric. Drilling for the Marcellus Shale is but one side of the coin, the other is for the county to seek reimbursement for the resources and monies leaving and not staying within our county borders.
My name is J. “Barry” Abbott, Sr. and I am running for the Republican nomination for Clearfield County Commissioner.
Barry Abbott for Commissioner email: barryabbottforclfdcommissioner@gmail.com
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