SMETHPORT – Judy Church of Smethport has announced her candidacy
for McKean County commissioner on the Democratic Party ticket at
the May 15 primary election.

For the past 30 years, Church has been employed at both the
county and state levels. Eleven of those were spent at Sena-Kean
Manor. While there, her peers elected her president of the American
Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees local union,
an office she held for nine years.

“As local union president, I attended leadership courses at Penn
State and completed training in negotiations, labor relations,
grievances and arbitration,” Church said.

Church also served as a local union training instructor for
AFSCME Council 85, which serves the northwest section of
Pennsylvania.

As a state employee, Church was district administrator for the
Department of Revenue’s Bradford office, which was responsible for
collections of state taxes in a six-county area. In that time, this
office maintained and surpassed their annual collection goals.

Later, Church transferred to the auditor general’s department as
an auditor.

“This job requires traveling to various counties where I conduct
Liquid Fuels audits,” Church noted.

Computer literate, having trained in all Microsoft programs,
Church said, “I realize the importance of technological
capabilities for county workers and consider continued education
for all employees a key to better production.”

Church said that since she is planning to retire in several
months, she can be a full-time commissioner.

“The county cannot be run on a part-time basis,” Church said.
“The position of county commissioner requires full-time attention,
and I am committed to fill that position.”

In the community, Church has been a volunteer with various
organizations for more than 20 years.

Church has been a Democrat since she registered at the age of
21. For the more than 30 years that she has been a member of the
McKean County Democratic Committee, she has held the offices of
committeewoman, secretary, treasurer, state committee member. She
has been county chairman for 14 years.

Following her high school graduation, Church earned a degree in
business from Sharon Business Institute.

A native of McKean County, Church was born in Farmers
Valley.

She and her husband, Leo, are the parents of six children and 13
grandchildren.

Church is the second Democrat to announce candidacy in the
primary race. Current commissioner Cliff Lane announced his
candidacy along with others in the newly reconfigured New
Directions Team – Republicans John Egbert and Dick Danielson.
Others who have announced their candidacy are Port Allegany Mayor
Joe DeMott, former commissioners Al Pingie and Larry Stratton, and
Corydon Township Supervisor Tim Yohe.