1. Provide a brief professional and personal background.
I have been a successful business owner since 1988. In 2000, I was voted the Small Business of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce.
Also, I have been an active member of the DuBois Volunteer Fire Department for 33 years and a member of the DuBois Lions Club for over 25 years.
I have served as treasurer of the Sandy Hose Co. No. 1. I was a past president and am a current board member of the DuBois Area United Way.
I have been elected to the DuBois City Council for the past 10 years.
2. Why did you choose to run for the office of Clearfield County Commissioner?
In 2011, our board of commissioners voted to lower taxes. I believe they did this quite simply to get re-elected because Clearfield County was the only county to lower taxes in the commonwealth that year.
Since that time, Clearfield County has been in a financial crisis, and it’s to the point that the county is near bankruptcy. For that reason, I decided to run for the office of county commissioner three years ago.
3. What qualifies you to serve in the capacity of Clearfield County Commissioner?
I believe that with my 32 years in business management combined with my 10 years as an elected councilman, I have the knowledge and experience to lead the county out of financial crisis and into the next decade.
4. Do you feel that the county is transparent enough? If not, what needs to change?
I honestly believe that the current commissioners are not transparent at all. For example, they have avoided an explanation of the truth behind the financial crisis to our county’s residents.
5. If elected, how would you reach out and form relationships with citizens of Clearfield County? How would you reach out to those citizens in the outlying areas of the county?
If elected to the commissioners’ office, I would hold town hall meetings throughout the county, and I would institute a program to have the commissioners attend municipal government meetings in every municipality at least once a year.
I would also institute a similar program to have the commissioners visit the county’s Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legions to listen to the struggles our veterans are faced with.
They are also being affected by this budget crisis with funding having been cut for their programs and services. These cuts are extremely unfair to the men and women who have served our great country.
6. If elected, what measures would you take to ensure the efficient operation of Clearfield County?
If elected, my top priority would be to address the county’s budget crisis.
Currently, the commissioners are blaming the county jail, and so it’s time to consider rebuilding or expanding our facility. This – alone – would reduce our costs significantly.
Since 2011, our commissioners have spent nearly $750,000, including $295,000 last year, to pay our neighboring counties to house our inmates. Those funds could have put a dent into renovations of our own county facility.
Our neighboring county commissioners have had the foresight to plan expansions based upon forecasted numbers of future inmates, and now they are reaping the benefits.
7. If elected, what measures would you take to generate economic development opportunities for Clearfield County?
Companies don’t find it very attractive to relocate to a county that’s near bankruptcy. As I’ve stated, we have to fix the budget crisis to show interested companies that Clearfield County is an attractive place to relocate to and to grow their businesses.
8. How would you fight the drug epidemic currently facing the county? How would you reduce costs, specifically in relation to the operations of the county jail?
Clearfield County is not alone in this drug epidemic, but we do need more resources. The commissioners must work more closely with the District Attorney’s office, both the local and state police as well as the Clearfield/Jefferson Drug & Alcohol Commission.
9. If elected, what would be your top priority as Clearfield County Commissioner?
As I have stated before, my number one priority would be to address the budget crises. We have to admit that we need a jail expansion, which are neighboring counties have already done; they are now reaping the benefits.
Once we accomplish this, we can seek contracts with state and federal agencies to house their inmates. As the old adage goes: “build it and they will come.”
10. What are the greatest challenges facing Clearfield County? If elected, what measures would you propose to resolve them?
Once again, our greatest challenge is to balance our budget. The county is currently furloughing great and valuable employees because of mandatory budget cuts.
The county’s offices are understaffed and employees are being overworked. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but I believe we need better management to expand our resources.
Together, we can bring Clearfield County out of this crisis and make our county strong again.