The four candidates on the ballot Nov. 7 for the three Venango County commissioner positions answered questions on various topics during a public forum Wednesday evening sponsored by the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce.
On the stage at PennWest Venango Campus in Oil City were Democrats Albert Abramovic and Mathew Beith, and Republicans Sam Breene and Ken Bryan.
The candidates were given a list of about 15 questions before the forum. Five of the questions were discussed at the forum.
To start out the evening, each candidate was asked about their qualifications and experiences that fit them for the job of county commissioner.
The two incumbents, Abramovic and Breene, focused on their accomplishments while in office.
Abramovic noted his position as president of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) and several boards he serves on and that during his eight years as commissioner the budget has always been balanced and there has not been a tax increase.
“When I took office the county was facing a tax hike and I said that is not going to happen. It didn’t. Venango County now has a historic surplus and we gave well deserved wage increases to county employees, which I was told was impossible when I took office,” Breene said.
Bryan and Beith, the two newcomers to the stage, spoke of their professional experience.
Beith said he believes that the foundation of leadership is public service and that he is experienced in public service as well as being a realtor.
Bryan spoke of his military service and experience working in the entertainment industry with Lionsgate Films as a senior vice president.
The four men were also asked to name their top three priorities to address as commissioner and to lay out their vision for the county.
Breene priorities were fiscal responsibility and making it easy to do business in Venango County.
His vision is to focus on the county’s strengths and shore up its weaknesses.
The two weaknesses he and the other commissioners are working on are rural broadband access and improving the reentry program at the Venango County jail to lower recidivism, especially among drug offenders.
Bryan highlighted four topics.
One was addressing the intertwined issue of drugs, crime and school safety in Venango County.
The fourth was getting Polk Center occupied and prosperous again.
Beith’s vision was that county residents find long term social and economic prosperity through improvements to education, affordable housing, mental health resources and workforce development.
For Abramovic the three priorities are county workforce development and moral boosting, reducing recidivism at the Venango County jail, and “bringing the rust belt to the smart belt” — capitalizing on innovation in Erie and Pittsburgh in Venango County which is in the corridor between those cities.
Other Questions
- When it came to the county budget, Abramovic and Breene pointed out the great competence of the county department heads and the careful planning for the county’s financial future that both have been engaged in.
They also noted currently the county has about $12 to $15 million in reserve, which is historically high for Venango County.
Beith suggested writing more grants, an area he has experience in, and focusing on hiring and retention at the county level with good pay, benefits and “good work environment.”
Bryan was for “spending on needs not wants” and looking for different ways to save county money.
- On the topic of growth and development of Venango County in the coming decade Breene and Bryan spoke of promoting economic prosperity by attracting businesses and remote workers who can live wherever they please.
Abramovic said he believes a community college in Venango County would fill an education gap and help local people grow into successful business owners and capitalize on the prosperity coming to western Pennsylvania more broadly.
Beith said if his plan was followed he saw a thriving community where everyone has safe housing, access to the mental health resources and “everybody has the resources they need for success.”
- The candidates were also largely unified on the topic of public health and safety.
They emphasized the importance of mental health resources and helping people escape drug addition and other substance abuse issues.
When it came to public safety, they noted the multimillion dollar 911 upgrade Venango County is currently in the midst of which will improve 911 access and radio coverage.
- When asked about collaboration and bipartisanship all four candidates answered in bipartisan unity, noting that county politics is seldom partisan to begin with, and emphasizing the importance of teamwork and collaboration in service of a common goal: the good of Venango County.
