Ballot set for November

BY ROBERT L. BAKER

Susquehanna County’s three commissioners will be back on the ballot in November, along with newcomer Alan Hall.

Hall, who serves as  Blue Ridge School Board president will be the Republican nominee who came in second place on the GOP ballot with 2,097 votes, having received 25 fewer votes than incumbent Michael Giangrecco with 2,122 votes.

Fred Baker received 1,856 votes and Ricky Oakley 1,225. Additionally, 95 Republicans cast write-in votes in the commissioner’s race.

They will face off in November against Democrats Mary Ann Warren,

who led the Democratic ballot with 1,592 votes to Leon Allen, with 1,225 votes. Additionally, 166 Democrats cast write-in votes in the commissioner’s race.

Across the county, just under a third (or 32.88 percent) of registered Republicans and just over a quarter (or 25.05 percent) of registered Democrats cast ballots.

In the Magisterial District Judgeship in New Milford, Jodi Cordner, who has a private practice in Susquehanna, took both the Republican and Democratic nominations in which all three candidates crossfiled.

She received 47.1 percent of the GOP votes (or 754 ), and 49.1 percent of the Democratic votes (or 435), and arrived at the courthouse Tuesday night saying she was “shocked” and honored by the turnout to replace Judge Peter Janicelli, who decided not to seek reelection this year.

On the GOP ballot in the district judge race, Kathleen Ragard finished second with 439 votes and Raymond Telnock had 406 votes. On the Democratic side, Ragard had 304 votes and Telnock 147.

Across the county, there were few surprises.

The Mountain View School Board will likely be seeing three new faces next

January as incumbents Gina Yarrish and Jay Wescott were defeated on both the Democratic and GOP ballots, and Roy Twining, running unopposed is the nominee on both tickets for a seat being vacated in Region 1.

In a Harford Township supervisors race on the GOP side, Doug Phelps with 106 votes beat incumbent Terry Van Gorden with 44 votes. Lester Thomas also got 60 votes. There were 19 write ins cast on the Democratic side, but it was not known at press time if that would create an opponent for Phelps in the November election.

In Franklin Township supervisor’s race for a 6-year term, Daniel Depue beat Terry Rosevear, 93-53 on the GOP side. For a 2-year term, Lee Burch beat Helen Vile, 88-45.

In Rush Township supervisor’s race for a 6-year term, Charles Pierson beat Peter Brozonis, 41-31 on the Democratic side.

In Forest City Borough, where four Democrats were seeking three nominations for a 4-yr term, Kelley Twilley with 55 votes was knocked off the ballot by Joann Matarese (71) Bernard Scalzo (74) and Barbara Mihelc (67), all Democrats. The lone Republican on the ballot for a 2-yr term was Pauline Wilcox who got  59 votes.

In Montrose Borough, for the two Democratic nominations for Ward 2 councilman, Tony Pickett and Julanne Skinner, with 14 votes each turned back Salvatore Vetri with 13 and Maryanne Waddington with seven.

In Susquehanna Borough, for the four Democratic nominations for a 4-yr term, Diana Williams with 76 votes was knocked off the ballot by Deborah Zayas (93), Roy Williams (81), David Scales (84) and Allen Wolf (94). The lone Republican on the ballot for a 4-yr term wwas Roberta Kelly with 102 votes. For a 2-yr term on the Democratic side, Paul Barnes beat John Hendrickson, 77-74.

In the county auditor’s race, newcomer Melanie Kozlowski outpolled incumbent Susan Jennings by four votes, 1,219-1,215, for both spots on the Democratic ticket. On the Republican side, incumbents George Starzec received 3,131 votes and Holly Bialy got 2,683. In November, voters will select three of the four candidates.

Unopposed and renominated on the GOP ticket for countywide office were incumbents Jason Legg seeking reelection as District Attorney, Catherine Benedict as treasurer, Anthony Conarton as coroner, and Mary F. Evans as register of wills, clerk of orphans court and recorder of deeds..

Magisterial district judge Jeffrey Hollister cross filed as a Republican and Democrat and received both nominations for a district that includes the boroughs of Friendsville, Little Meadows and Montrose as well as townships of Apolacon, Auburn, Bridgewater, Choconut, Dimock, Forest Lake, Franklin, Jessup, Liberty, Middletown, Rush, Silver Lake and Springville.

SUPERVISOR RACES

Also nominated to be candidates for township supervisor were Joseph Holmes-R in Ararat with 83 votes; George Gregory-R in Auburn with 132; Charles Mead-R with 235  and Peter Kane-D with 79 in Bridgewater; Morgan Turner-R with 83 in Brooklyn; William Stewart-D with 29 in Choconut; Dennis Knowlton-R with 118 in Clifford; Matthew Neenan-R with 121 in Dimock; Frances Pinkowski-R with 114 in Forest Lake; Harold Shay-R with 99 in Gibson; Frederick Jackson-D with 34 in Harmony; David Svecz-R with 59 in Herrick; Mark Pease-R with 136 in Jackson; Dennis Bunnell-R with 70 in Jessup; Paul Himka-R with 64 in Lathrop; Fred Benson-R with 200 in Lenox; William Goodrich-D with 25 in Liberty; Daniel Jones-R with 41 in Middletown; Jack Conroy-R with 239 in New Milford); William Wynn-R with 55 and Jamie Chilewski-D with 32 in Oakland; Donald Herman-R with 90 for a 6-year term in Rush, and Kevin Stockholm-R with 105 for a 4-year term; Evan Everett-D with 54 in Silver Lake; Jerry Ainey-R with 129 in Springville for a 6-year term, and Duane Wood-D with 82 for a 2-year term; and Alexander Komar-R with 42 in Thompson.

Write-ins may land additional candidates on the November ballot if supervisor candidates got at least 10 votes and one more than their opponent in these townships: Apolacon (11Dem); Auburn (13D); Harmony (39Rep); Lenox (59D): Liberty (20R); Rush 4-yr term (14D); Silver Lake (26R); and Springville 2-yr term (18R).

MAYORAL RACES

In Mayoral races, Vivian Novak received 29 GOP votes in Little Meadows; and Michael Matis received 135 Democratic votes in Susquehanna, but he may face opposition in November as 27 writeins were cast on the GOP side for Mayor of Susquehanna.

COUNCIL SEATS

Borough council nominees include Great Bend (Jerry MacConnell-R with 85 and Bret Jennings-R with 59, and Richard Franks-D with 67); Hallstead (Ryan Stone-D with 71); Hop Bottom (Tim Hortman-R with 34 and William Black-R with 33); Lanesboro (Dale Rockwell-R with 40 and Daniel Broughton-R with 40 and Regina Dilello-D with 47); Little Meadows (Charles Fahringer-D with 8 and John Sorber-R with 30); Montrose, 1st ward (Randall Schuster-R with 91); New Milford (Barbara James-D with 39);  Oakland (John Agler-R with 53, David Trevarthan-R with 54, James Rouse-R with 33 and Gary Boughton-R with 49); Union Dale (Doris Young-R with 30 and Patricia Cino-R with 28).

SCHOOL BOARDS

Republican nominees: Blue Ridge: Reg. 1: Harold Empett (317); Reg. 1B: Christina Cosmello (237); Reg.2B: Laurie Bonner (88); Reg. 3: Cindy Gaughan (195) over Joel Whitehead (183).

Elk Lake: Reg. 1: Chuck Place (135); Reg. 3: Anne Teel (123); Reg. 6: Matthew Curley (38); Reg. 7: Alice Carr (108).

Forest City: Reg. 8: Mary Emmett (38).

Montrose Area: Reg. 1: Pamela Staats (239); Reg. 2: Chris Caterson (368) and Doug Wilcox (358) over John Delaney (137); Reg. 3: Mary Homan (293) and Kathleen Mordovancey (270).

Mountain View: Reg. 1A: Christine Plonski Sezer (88) over Gina Yarrish (28); Reg. 1B: Roy Twining (113); Reg. 2A: Thomas Stoddard (131) over Jay Wescott (100); Reg. 2B: Ellen Aherne (184); Reg. 3C: Sondra Stine (28).

Susquehanna Community: Reg. 1: Jason Chamberlain (144) and Holly Kubus (128); Reg. 2: Martha Stanford (100); Reg. 3: Evelyn Cottrell (196).

Democratic Nominees: Blue Ridge: Reg. 1: Harold Empett (113); Reg. 2B: Laurie Bonner (71).

Elk Lake: Reg. 1: Chuck Place (60); Reg. 3: Anne Teel (49); Reg. 7: Alice Carr (56).

Forest City: Reg. 7: William Kubus (32); Reg. 8: Mary Emmett (50).

Montrose Area: Reg. 1: Pamela Staats (71); Reg. 2: Douglas Wilcox (123) and John Delaney (88); Reg. 3: Mary Homan (119) and Kathleen Mordovancey (115).

Mountain View: Reg. 1A: Christine Sezer (3) over Gina Yarrish (2); Reg. 1B: Roy Twining (65); Reg. 2A: Thomas Stoddard (52) over Jay Wescott (41); Reg. 2B: Ellen Aherne (39); Reg. 3C: Sondra Stine (15)

Susquehanna Community: Reg. 2: Martha Stanford (150); Reg. 3: Evelyn Cottrell (112).

OTHER RACES

Nominated by the GOP for auditor were Eric Place (142) in Auburn; Dawn Arnold (250) for a 6 yr term and Beverly Way (234) for a 2-yr term in Bridgewater; Ann Corbin (94) in Brooklyn; Roger Doolittle (51) in Choconut; Henry Spering (137) in Dimock; Carolyn Pratt (124) in Franklin; Nora Gelatt (102) in Gibson; Linda Bonham (196) in Harford; Brenda Bennett (76) in Jessup; Michele Stetson (31) in Little Meadows; Roberta Curley (39) in Middletown; Jennifer Ramey (115) in Rush; Barbara Komar (44) in Thompson; Audrey Malinowski (28) in Union Dale.

Nominated by the Democrats for auditor were Peggy Jerauld (72) in Bridgewater; Catherine Chiarella (30) in Franklin; Angeline Svecz (39) for 6 yr term and Emily Maslar for 4 yr term in Herrick; Regina Evans (44) in Lathrop; Donald Rifenbury (25) in Liberty; Ruth Casselbury (67) in Springville; and Mary Yale (10) in Union Dale.

For tax collector, Diane Truman with 82 votes was nominated by the Republicans in Jessup Twp.; and Elaine Dantzler with 13 votes was nominated by the Democrats in Union Dale Borough.

For constable, Darrell Sands with 91 votes was nominated by the Republicans in Montrose Borough Ward 1.