Town's election nears

February 20, 2009|By HEATHER KEELS

WILLIAMSPORT -- Williamsport Town Council member Jeffrey A. Cline is challenging Mayor James G. McCleaf II for his seat in the town's March 2 election, Clerk/Treasurer Donnie Stotelmyer said.

The offices of mayor and assistant mayor are up for election this year, along with two council seats.

A total of two candidates for mayor, two candidates for assistant mayor and three candidates for council filed to run before the filing deadline of Friday at 4 p.m., Stotelmyer said.

The candidates are as follows:

Citizens First party ticket:

o Jeffrey A. Cline for mayor

o Earle R. Pereschuk Sr. for assistant mayor

o Bobbi Cole for council

Independent ticket:

o James G. McCleaf II for mayor

o Anthony T. Drury for assistant mayor

o Timothy W. Fraker for council

o Joan E. Knode for council

Pereschuk and Drury, who were in the middle of council terms that run through 2011, automatically forfeited those seats when they filed to run for assistant mayor, town attorney Edward L. Kuczynski said. The council is responsible for appointing members to fill those seats, and the appointments likely will be made at the council's March meeting, which will be after the election, he said.

Cline, whose seat is up for election this year, also forfeited his seat when he filed to run for mayor, Kuczynski said. His seat will be filled through the normal election process.

Even without Drury, Pereschuk and Cline, the council still has enough members to constitute a quorum should it need to take any action between now and the election, Kuczynski said. The remaining group would consist of McCleaf, Assistant Mayor Monty R. Jones, Councilwoman Gloria J. Bitner and Councilman James Kalbfleisch.

Bitner and Jones, whose terms are up this year, are not running for re-election.

If you go

What: Williamsport municipal election

When: March 2, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Where: Williamsport Town Hall

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