SUNBURY - Fresh faces, new ideas, different opinions.
That's what the newly-elected Northumberland County commissioners will bring to the table in January, according to county row officers who offered their reactions Wednesday to Tuesday's historic general election results in the five-man commissioners' race.
Attorney Rick Shoch, a Republican from Sunbury, was the top vote-getter in the election, while fellow political newcomer Stephen Bridy, of Elysburg, a financial consultant, became the first Independent candidate in county history to be elected commissioner.
Thrilled
Bridy said winning hasn't set in yet, but he's happy the campaign and election are over. He said he's thankful to God and to the people of Northumberland County for electing him.
"I'm thrilled. I'm thankful. I'm blessed the people saw that I do care and I will work as hard as I need to work to set the ship right," he said in a phone call Wednesday.
He said he's also thrilled that each county commissioner comes from a different political party.
"I think it's fantastic. Everyone is represented. How can you complain about that? We will differ; not everyone gets along all the time. We probably share a lot of simlar ideas, but how we go about them is probably where we'll differ the most."
Shoch and Bridy, who unseated incumbents Frank Sawicki and Merle Phillips, will join Democrat Vinny Clausi, a Coal Township businessman, on the new board in January. Sawicki, a Democrat from Atlas, has served eight years as a commissioner, while Phillips, a retired Republican state legislator from Upper Augusta Township, was appointed to the post in November following the resignation of Republican Kurt Masser, who was elected last year as a state representative for the 107th District.
"I spoke to Rick Shoch at the polls in Elysburg yesterday (Tuesday) and predicted he would be the top vote-getter, and I'm glad he was," commented Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts Kathleen Strausser. "He is a great attorney who has dealt with our office frequently."
Strausser, a Republican who met Bridy for the first time Tuesday at the polls, said, "I believe Mr. Bridy is very capable of doing a good job as commissioner. He impressed me during our conversation. He earned a great accomplishment by becoming the first Independent candidate to be elected commissioner while beating two incumbents."
Strausser added, "I look forward to working with the new board of commissioners. There are going to be three different points of view on the board and I think that's good for the county."
Surprised
Controller Tony Phillips, who also was victorious in Tuesday's election while running unopposed, said he was a little surprised by the outcome, but is looking forward to working with the new board.
"I'm open and excited to work with the new commissioners," he said. "There are challenges ahead of us, but I believe we will be able to work together as a team and move the county in the right direction."
Phillips, a Republican who has campaigned with Shoch since February, said he was surprised that neither Sawicki nor Merle Phillips, who is his great-uncle, didn't win. "I respect Frank and Merle a great deal and believe they did an excellent job as commissioners. But fresh faces and fresh blood can be a good thing."
Register and Recorder Mary Zimmerman said she was shocked by Tuesday's results.
"I think everyone in the county was surprised, especially by Bridy's victory," she said. "We now have three different parties representing the county and I just hope they can all work together and move the county forward."
She believes Sawicki and Merle Phillips lost because people were seeking change, new ideas and different opinions.
Beth Kremer, chairman of the county Republican party, said she was also surprised by Tuesday's election results, but looks forward to working with the three commissioners.
"I believe the three commissioners will work together for the county and the people in it," she said.
Clausi's thoughts
When contacted Wednesday about his re-election, Clausi stated, "The people elected me based on the work I did for Northumberland County during the past four years. I think the people spoke by their vote and we have to honor their wishes. I'm willing to work with the other commissioners and continue to do the job I did during my first term. Four years ago, the county's engine was broke and I fixed it. Now, I need the two new commissioners to help me maintain the engine."
Clausi said he didn't care who was appointed chairman of the new board. "I talked with Mr. Shoch today (Wednesday) and I have no objection to him or Mr. Bridy serving as chairman," he said. "We have an attorney, financial consultant and businessman as commissioners and I want to invite the new commissioners to attend budget hearings and provide input because they and myself are going to be responsible for the new budget."
As for his opinion on why Sawicki and Phillips were defeated, Clausi said, "It was the people's choice to elect two new commissioners. I really have no further comment on why the other two candidates lost."
Age a factor
The 83-year-old Phillips said his age and minimal campaign efforts contributed heavily to his defeat.
"My age was definitely a factor in the race and I really didn't get out and work as much I did in other campaigns. I didn't go door-to-door and that hurt me. I also didn't do well in the coal region, which has always been a problem area for me. I don't know why I don't get better support from that area because I've done a lot of good things for people in that region."
Phillips, who congratulated Shoch, Bridy and Clausi on their victory, added, "I give Shoch and Bridy a lot of credit. Shoch had a very good campaign committee that was out all the time supporting him, and Bridy took a lot of votes from me in the Elysburg area as an Independent. He worked hard, especially during the past month."
Phillips, who served as state representative for the 108th District for 30 years, said he is done running for political office.
"I questioned whether I should run this time," he said. "But I got talked into it. But I just didn't give a full effort like you need to."
Phillips said he hopes the newly-elected commissioners can work together.
"It's an odd situation with three different parties represented as commissioners," he said. "I thought we (current commissioners) had things running smoothly lately. We conducted good, quiet, productive meetings and I hope the new board continues to do that. They must act in the best interests of the county taxpayers. If they don't, there will be problems."
'Lightning rod'
Sawicki believes employees who lost their county jobs during the past four years and retirees who weren't granted a cost-of-living raise in their county retirement fund revolted against him and ultimately cost him re-election.
"I'm proud of my record, particularly during the past four years as chairman of the board," he said. "We've made significant strides in fiscal responsibility and core government functions. We divested ourselves from Mountain View Manor because we would have had to raise taxes to make all the proper improvements. We also divested from the adult day care program and transportation department because they were losing money."
"I was the lightning rod for people who lost their jobs because I was chairman," he said. "They voted me out of office."
Sawicki, who has no desire to seek political office again at this point, plans to offer Clausi, Shoch and Bridy his assistance to make sure there is a "smooth transition" with the new board.
"I wish the new commissioners luck and I want to make sure they know what's going on. I won't leave them in the dark," he said.
The News-Item continues to inquire about possible confusion over the vote totals reported for the Mount Carmel Borough Council race and possibly other municipal races from Tuesday night's election.