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►Morii■Combined with the Everett RepublicanYEAR T Na 38 MAY 5,1995 (USPS 0477 . 2000) SINGLE COPY 35 CENTSVacant commissioner post filledHowsare appoints Sollenberger to fill Coon’s unexpired termBy Sharyn Maust Gazette Associate EditorJudge Daniel Howsare on Wednesday appointed Elaine M. Sollenberger of Everett RD 3 to fill the Bedford County commissioner vacancy created by the resignation of Kim Coon.The appointment is effective from May 1 until the elected commissioners are sworn in the first Tuesday in January.According to the judge, Sollenberger was the first person to express an interest in the interim appointment last winter.Sollenberger and her husband, Ray, are long-time dairy farmers in West Providence Township, where they operate Ralaine Jerseys.She is a graduate of Pleas* antville-West St. Clair High School and Juniata College,*majoring in Latin and English. She currently is teaching English part-time at Allegany Community College in Everett.Sollenberger served 12 years on the Everett Area School Board, deciding not to seek re-election in the mid-1980s.She said she was interested in the appointment “as an opportunity to serve in a public office that covers a range of issues. Certainly Pm interested in rural issues, but a commissioner has to remember the overall county is the territory to be served.”Sollenberger said she did not wish to discuss her views on county issues until she is in office. “Kim Coon is still the commissioner,” she said.“Pm looking forward to the position. I assume it will be considerable work, which 1 am willing to do,-Sollenberger added/—y She said she had never considered running for the county office.Howsare said in his appointment order that since Coon's “probable resignation had been public knowledge for some months, I have received several communications, particularly in the last week, indicating the interest of numerous Bedford countians in receiving an appointment.“All persons who indicated an interest have been considered. All in my opinion are well qualified and this decision has been difficult. 2 have concluded after careful consideration to appoint Elaine Sollenberger,” the judge wrote.— Continued on Page 8■Utt. i 4First day on the jobElaine Sollenberger (center) was sworn in as Bedford County’s newest county commissioner Monday afternoon, and began a seven-month term that she Inherited from Kim Coon, who accepted a job in Harrisburg with the new state administration.Sollenberger spent most of the afternoon traveling to various county offices to meet staff and learn about programs with fellow Republican Commissioner Dick Rice (left). Among her stops was one in the county economic development office, where Director Bette. Slayton (right) showed Sollenberger plans for a new promotional piece that Slayton hopes will lure industries and businesses to the county.Colleagues praise judge’s selectionBy Lyn Skillington Gazette Staff Writer Independent. Fair-minded. Sharp. Progressive. Capable. Those were words used to describe Elaine Sollenberger by former colleagues and friends Wednesday night when,.they learned she.,., would become Bedford Counfy’s first female county commissioner next week.Reaction was universally enthusiastic from former colleagues oh the Everett School Board and from current county commissioners to the announcement, made by Bedford County Judge Dan Howsare.“She'll do a good job,” said Howard Hinish, a former county commissioner, who followed Sollenberger as president of the Everett Area School Board in the mid 1970s.“She was very good to work with, she’d got a good understand-ing of the issues and she uses common sense. She's a good all-around person,” said Hinish, who noted that he'd known the Mench-area dairy farmer for at least 40 years.He noted that while Sollenberger is a registered Republican, “she's not a politician. She’s done a tatftfmodJhings fprjhe commu;_nity without working within the party.”. Richard Barry, who also served with Sollenberger on the school board, called her a “very able and capable lady. She makes up her own mind and hews to the point. She’s very, enlightened and a woman who looks at all sides.”He Baid Sollenberger is “very independent. There were lots of times when Elaine flew in the face of the rest of the board, and she was usually right.”Phyllis Hershberger, who also served with Sollenberger, said she is “very impressed with the sharpness of Elaine’s mind. She gets right to the crux of the matter and is quite knowledgeable on manyissues.She termed her “very progressive” and particularly interested in the community and education.And she said Sollenberger handled the pressure of “a difficult time” in the Everett School district well. “She stood up to the•-N- ....... ,* .**■pressure very .well, she said.“Probably better than I did.”During Sollenberger’s tenure on the board the district built the Everett Elementary School and made other moves that elicited the board the district built the Everett Elementary .School and made other moves that elicited emotional reactions from among some district residents, Hershberger said.“I have nothing but admiration of her. I can’t think of a better choice for county commissioner,” Hershberger said.Soon to be ex-county Commissioner Coon said he was surprised by Howsare’s choice. “1 certainly heard a lot of names being mentioned, and hers wasn’t among them,” Coon said.But he said he stands “ready to do what I can to make the transition as smooth os possible.”He said he had met Sollenberger on a few occasions, and “I’m sure she’ll-do what.she believes is in the best interest of the county as I’ve tried to do.”Democratic Commissioner Gaty Ebersole said he’d never met Sollenberger, but he is “delighted” with her appointment. “It think the judge has made an extremely wise decision. I've already called her to congratulate her. I’m most anxious to work with her.”He predicted that Sollenberger, as the first woman in the county to serve as county commissioner, “will bring a new dimension to the commissioners’ office.”Republican Dick Rice, chairman of the board of commissioners, could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.
Newspaper Details
Bedford Inquirer
Bedford, Pennsylvania, US
Fri, May 05, 1995
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Teresa B.
USA 24 Feb 2022
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