CLEARFIELD – The new Clearfield County Commissioner, Mary Tatum, was officially sworn in during a ceremony on Monday afternoon.
Tatum of Houtzdale was appointed by President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman to replace Antonio “Tony” Scotto, who announced his resignation in September.
Her impact is already being felt, according to the current commissioners.
John Sobel commented that she showed up first thing Monday morning with “vim and vigor” and hopes that she will continue to bring this enthusiasm to the job.
Dave Glass mentioned that they have already started to discuss things with her, and she has brought a new perspective.
With Tatum being selected, Glass noted, the county now has commissioners from Clearfield, DuBois and the Moshannon Valley.
Before issuing her oath of office, Ammerman said to her family and friends who gathered to witness the event, that there were other good candidates among the 35 people who applied for the position, but with her background and attitude, she stood out.
Judge Paul Cherry stated that he agreed with Ammerman’s praise of Tatum and of his choice.
Both of her parents were beaming with pride as Ammerman asked if they wanted to say anything about their daughter.
Her mother explained that even as a child, Mary helped other kids and defended them against bullies. About this position, Mary told her that she could now potentially help thousands of people.
Her father commented that she was always concerned about others and because he worked for the Department of Corrections, she asked him if all the people in jail “were bad.” He told her that some of them just made a mistake and others had a bad day, but they weren’t all bad.
Tatum has a Doctorate and Master’s degree in public administration from Capella University as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in human development and family studies from Penn State University.
Currently she is the director of the county’s Child Advocacy Center and a certified advance child forensic interviewer.
Her Doctorate thesis was on property blight community experiences with possible causes and solutions, according to a recent press release.
She will complete the rest of Scotto’s term which ends Dec. 31, 2023.