The Carbon County Board of Commissioners will be changing in January. Commissioner William O’Gurek is retiring and Republican chairman Wayne Nothstein is the only seated commissioner on the ballot. Other candidates are Democrats Rocky Ahner and Bob Jacobs. Chris Lukasevich is the other Republican on the ticket. Gerald Strubinger is a nonaffiliated candidate.

Republican Tom Gerhard was knocked off the ballot in the primary, but has launched a write-in campaign.

Here’s a look at the people on the ballot. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order:

Rocky Ahner

Q: What qualifies you for office?

A: I come with skills suited to serve the people of Carbon County. My involvement in local organizations and a business owner for 30-plus years has given me the understanding of Carbon County’s concerns and needs. As 2011-12 president of Lehighton Area School Board, I was instrumental in bringing K-12 drug and alcohol curriculum, saving tax dollars on health care and negotiating contracts with no tax increase.

Q: What will your top priorities be if elected to office?

A: My number one priority is to stay within budget. Besides that retaining a grant writer would be a great asset to bring money countywide to all areas of Carbon County. Obtaining all information before making a responsible decision is a necessity on saving tax dollars. Working with area legislators, local municipalities and giving economic development a direction would be a good start to making our towns more attractive for job growth.

Q: What should be done to solve the office space issue?

A: I’d like to look at how advanced data management systems could reduce our space and do an assessment of what space is needed before drawing blueprints. There are state guidelines that certain departments have to be within a certain distance to each other. If the court system is where the increased space is needed, then it should be the center of the discussion with other department needs in mind also. All department involvement is essential.

Q: What is the best way to boost economic growth?

A: First and foremost, we have natural beauty and resources that few other places can match. When you consider the benefits of living here, uncontrolled growth should be our only problem. While protecting what makes living here so desirable, county commissioners should work with area legislators looking at sites that are best suited for development. A collaborative effort from all entities is a key factor in developing our towns to accommodate to their resident’s needs.

Q: How can the county ensure that families and the aging population get the services they need?

A: We are a relatively rural county. It’s not easy for our senior members and working families to have equal access to county facilitated services. I would like to look into areas where we can utilize technology to increase the ease in which the county can administer to their needs. Senior centers and Senior Games are vital to keep seniors fit and healthy. They are the people who got us to where we are today.

Q: Are there any other issues you have identified?

A: I don’t know if it’s an issue or it’s a communication breakdown. Every elected official has to work with others no matter what your political party preference is. We are elected to serve the residents of Carbon County no matter who walks through our doors and must make rational decisions on behalf of our constituent’s safety and welfare. To move our county in a positive direction, we must all work together sometimes agreeing to disagree.

Bob Jacobs

Q: What qualifies you for office?

A: My qualifications include more than 30 years’ proven leadership experience within the charitable community. I was CEO of a well-respected organization, leading 200 employees and serving thousands of individuals and families in need. I earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in public administration. My civic work has been extensive and diverse, including recently establishing the Carbon County Homelessness Task Force.

Q: What will your top priorities be, if elected to office?

A: Through focused strategic planning we will address the following priorities: 1) Development of a bold, visionary economic development plan; 2) Address quality of life issues such as addiction, homelessness and more; 3) Protection of our natural resources by establishing an environmental sustainability plan; 4) Expansion of innovative criminal justice reform activities; and 5) Greater accountability of county government by implementing best practice quality assurance policies and practices.

Q: What should be done to solve the office space issue?

A: First step would be to hire a consulting firm with expertise in conducting a comprehensive study of county operations, separating court-related from non-court-related operations. The study must also include forecasting future needs and the viability of working remotely. The results will then guide the process of determining best options available, e.g. converting sections of the administration building into court-related space, relocating non-court-related offices elsewhere in Jim Thorpe or throughout the county.

Q: What is the best way to boost economic growth?

A: Economic development is more than job creation; it is creating a sense of community where individuals want to invest their financial resources, while also developing safe communities to live, work and play. We must address quality of life issues, such as addiction, homelessness, quality of education, etc., to attract businesses. Broadband expansion also must be addressed. If we plan wisely, tourism, recreational sports businesses and other traditional businesses can grow throughout the entire county.

Q: How can the county ensure that families and the aging population get the services they need?

A: We must begin to break down silos that currently exist within the human services delivery system in Carbon County. While the county currently employs many dedicated, hardworking human services staff, two important changes would strengthen the current delivery system: 1) Create a Director of Human Services position to oversee this highly regulated State work which represents nearly 20% of the county budget; and 2) Implement a countywide quality assurance program based on best practice standards.

Q: Are there any other issues you have identified?

A: Carbon County must help in developing a plan with our local municipalities to deal effectively with emergency management services. The reliance on volunteer corps and ongoing fundraising to purchase equipment and to maintain facilities is now a challenging model for many local municipalities. A first responders commission should be formed to begin developing a countywide strategic plan to support the important work of first responders and to continue to keep our communities safe.

Chris L. Lukasevich

Q: What qualifies you for office?

A: The investment by the U.S. taxpayer in my 34-years of Army-sponsored training, education, leadership and management experiences provides me unequaled skills in areas critical to county management. While leading a 441-person organization, with a $78 million annual budget, I directed the budget process, human resourcing, project management activities, and strategic planning to achieve results and solve perplexing problems. I recognize that success is dependent upon strong teamwork, even stronger leadership, and valuing employees.

Q: What will your top priorities be if elected to office?

A: Lessening the county portion of the property tax burden on our senior citizens is priority #1. My proposed Senior Tax Rebate (STaR) annually lowers taxes for seniors so they can afford to stay in their homes longer. The sale or conversion of Packerton Yards into a privately managed rail-based shuttle into Jim Thorpe and Lehighton, and adjacent solar energy park, will bolster visitors to tourism areas and provide taxpayers a payback for previously failed investments.

Q: What should be done to solve the office space issue?

A: The degree of current and future space deficit in county buildings remains unclear resulting in continually shifting and costly construction priorities. A workspace utilization and allocation assessment must take place and include: 25-year forecasting, re-examination of available office space within the entire county, and assessing telecommute options for care managers, caseworkers, probation officers etc. Over 10% of the county work force may be eligible for telecommuting, thus reducing office space requirements and new construction.

Q: What is the best way to boost economic growth?

A: Reasonable tax incentives, less burdensome regulations, an accurate assessment of this area’s assets and liabilities, and investment in information highways, rather than simply vehicle highways, are strong pillars to boost economic growth. However, we must solidify our relationship and support for existing county-based businesses of all sizes to retain their presence. While tourism will remain important, we must leverage the pillars mentioned to attract higher paying technology-centric companies and advanced light to medium manufacturers.

Q: How can the county ensure that families and the aging population get the services they need?

A: The lack of flexible and convenient public transportation is a significant obstacle for families in need and our aging population to access services. Current transportation, such as provided by CCCT, is not sufficiently meeting the needs. I propose, in addition to a user survey, a transportation working group to conduct a comprehensive review of the transportation needs, deficiencies, and proposed solutions e.g. voucher system for taxi and ride sharing services such as Uber and Lyft.

Q: Are there any other issues you have identified?

A: County offices lack published methods and measures of effectiveness and efficiency. Goals must be established and officials held accountable for achieving them. A biannual State of the County Report would serve as a medium for their presentation. Transparency is another notable deficiency in county government. All public meetings must be livestreamed to increase citizen engagement and foster greater transparency, trust and accountability. We need far fewer Right-to-Knows (requests) and far more “we already know.”

Wayne E. Nothstein

Q: What qualifies you for office?

A: I am in my 20th year as a county commissioner. I have the experience and dedication having been actively involved in many state, local committees and boards with great success stories. Including both public and private partnerships. Including Partners for Progress, Interagency & Family Collaborative board, Re-entry Coalition, Sheriff’s Training Board and CCAP Military and Veterans Affairs. It is not the “I” in success, it is the we working together.

Q: What will your top priorities be if elected to office?

A: Continue to develop programs to reduce recidivism and the growing costs of drug addiction and caseloads in the court system. The emergency service volunteer crisis and working on solutions. Already a member of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania EMS Force working with township, borough associations and state elected officials. Continue to strengthen the local municipal relationship through the local council of governments. Work with health care officials to address mental health.

Q: What should be done to solve the office space issue?

A: Work with the new incoming commissioners and businesses to find a new suitable and cost effective solution to the growing space needs.

Q: What is the best way to boost economic growth?

A: Work with school districts and municipalities to adopt the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance program, a tax abatement program to incentivize property investment and redevelopment of rundown or undesirable properties such as brownfields, create a graduated increase in tax payments on new construction and property rehabilitation, and encourage the reduction of excessive regulations and streamline the permitting process and fees and for land development. We should be working with developers and not against them.

Q: How can the county ensure that families and the aging population get the services they need?

A: Advocate for additional human service funding, which was cut 10% several years ago and has never been restored. Develop new working relations and with existing private nonprofits. Advocate for better investigative and more efficient policies and reporting documentation. As co-chair of the Interagency and Family Collaborative board, we are working on updating the state of the child and family to evaluate and assess the needs of our families and aging.

Gerald “Jerry” Strubinger

Q: What qualifies you for office?

A: I have been elected and served on legislative bodies for 20-plus years, namely the Jim Thorpe Area School District board of directors and also the CCTI Joint Operating Committee, guiding both through building plans. I know what it takes to bring about consensus between the citizens and their elected representatives, and their employees, namely, only necessary and responsible spending of precious public funds.

Q: What will your top priorities be if elected to office?

A: Transparency and citizen input in all county decisions. No new taxes. More county revenue must be procured by economic expansion. Meet with all department heads on a monthly basis to look for cost cutting measures.

Q: What should be done to solve the office space issue?

A: Construct a new office building in the property to the rear of the present administrative office building including the parking lot to be connected to the present courthouse by a short tunnel below Packer Hill Road. This building should have parking deck for employees. Remove the present administrative building and use for a parking deck added to the new office building.

Q: What is the best way to boost economic growth?

A: New and improved roads and traffic patterns in and into the county. Meet with the land owners of the former New Jersey Zinc Company West Plant along Route 248 to aggressively bring new businesses that need railroad services to the site.

Q: How can the county ensure that families and the aging population get the services they need?

A: Meet with state and federal government leaders to promote services for these two groups. Better prescription drug costs should be immediately negotiated by the federal government with the drug companies. Also promote help for the elderly to receive help to stay in their homes, reduce property taxes. The state promised reduction in property taxes for the elderly when gambling came into existence. Bringing pressure on state and federal officials by the county commissioners will help.

Q: Are there any other issues you have identified?

​A: Solar panels should be installed on Carbon County properties. I believe by leasing county properties, $200,000 and perhaps more can be realized annually. Also lower electrical costs can be negotiated with the solar panel company especially at the county prison where panels would be located. Also with electric vehicles coming into use the county will need more electricity for its vehicle fleets.