LOWLINESS Those running for offices in Mifflin County were given a chance to speak Monday night.
For the second month in a row, the Mifflin County Tea Party 9-12 group gave candidates running for Lewistown Borough Council, Lewistown Borough mayor and the Mifflin County sheriff the chance to share their platforms and what they hope to accomplish if elected.
This was the last meeting of its kind before the Pennsylvania Primary election on May 16.
Lewistown Mayor Deb Bargo, who is running for office again, was given the opportunity to speak first.
I wanted to speak to you a little bit as to who I am, she said. I was born and raised in Lewistown and there is something special about being the mayor of your hometown.
She stressed the importance of being kind and patient with everyone who comes into the office of the mayor.
Bargo said her goal is always to make sure the person is calmer or generates a better understanding after leaving her office. She also said there is something special about being in a small town, even though community members may get frustrated.
We have challenges, but we have a true core of good people here, she said.
Bargo said she has never regretted coming back and raising her family here and has enjoyed every minute of being mayor for the past nine years.
When speaking about the police department, Bargo said there is an issue but not that the officers are bad.
They are a good group of guys, she said. They just dont have the people skills. I will still stand behind them.
She said the new chief, Jeff Lusk, is working with the officers and helping them develop their people skills. She said he is encouraging each of the officers to pick a project that they can be involved in so they can be seen in the community.
I have confidence in the chief and think he can turn it around, she said. And dont give up on the guys, it is a hard job.
Venus Shade, candidate for Lewistown Borough council, spoke next. Shade is running for either the two year or four year term for council.
I come from a law enforcement background, she said. I currently teach at South Hills.
Shade said she decided to run because it was time for her to become involved and sees changes that could be made to make the life of her son better.
I have listened to people complain over and over and I want to be part of the solution, Shade said.
Some of the topics she mentioned included:
Deteriorating buildings, which could lead to higher crime rates.
Focusing on economic development.
Investing in the youth.
The old adage that this is how it always has been done needs to go, Shade said. We need to stop looking at things with blinders and get rid of the negative connotation.
She said when there is commitment and pride there is progress.
The final person to speak was Jim Drayer. Drayer is a candidate for Mifflin County sheriff and currently serves in the Mifflin County Sheriffs Office as a deputy sheriff.
For the past three years full-time but 12 years total, he said about his background.
He called himself a Marine brat that followed in his fathers footsteps and went into the Army before being honorably discharged. After he left the Army, he enlisted in the Pennsylvania State Police Academy, but ended up coming to Mifflin County to work.
I am not a Mifflin Countian, but I have lived here longer than I have lived anywhere, Drayer said. I can tell you this is great town and have raised my family here.
He said that current Mifflin County Sheriff Chris Shade came to him late in 2016 about running for sheriff.
I originally told him he was out of his mind, Drayer said. But after some consideration and speaking with friends and family, decided to run.
Drayer said he is running because things are not the way they were before and that scares him.
I am running for officer safety, he explained. Officers are getting shot every day and that is terrible.
Drayer said Chris Shade had been successful in this position and that he wants to add onto progress already made.
An example of changes Drayer would want to make is to bring less people into the courtroom jail cell because currently, sometimes too many are present. He also said he would like to see less of the six-on-one with taking prisoners back to the correctional facility.
There are just little things I would like change from learning on the job, Drayer said. I will do the best I can to be involved because I need to be out there.
Drayer said he is all for getting officers out there and being visible. He also said everything has to be done efficiently, even with the limited manpower that all departments are dealing with. He also said he would like to see the police departments training together because that could help with bringing the community together.
Where I feel I am best at is law enforcement, he said. I look back and everything I did was community based.
The other candidates for council include John Adams, William Parson, Nelson Rieffannacht, Mark Severs, Dave Campbell, William Wilson, Larry Searer, Matt Moore Keith Yoder and Shari Mundy. The other candidate for mayor is Kathy Wilson.
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Candidates speak at Tea Party event - Lewistown Sentinel