Wingo seeking third term

Kenneth Wingo

Kenneth Wingo of Ulysses Township has formally announced his candidacy for re-election to the Potter County Board of Commissioners.

A Democrat, he will compete with another incumbent, Catherine Bowers, and former Commissioner Susan Kefover for the two Democratic nominations. Candidates for the two Republican nominations are incumbent John Torok, Paul Heimel and Doug Morley.

The four successful candidates in the May 15 primary election will run in November for the three seats on the board.

Wingo cited his record over seven-plus years as a commissioner in seeking voter support for a third term, including:

- a role in securing state funds for a new dam at Lyman Run State Park and pending reconstruction of the countyowned North Fork Dam;

- the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program and related programs;

- leadership and advocacy on highway and other transportation issues;

- involvement in statewide lobbying that resulted in a tripling of the "payment in lieu of taxes" allotment from the Pa. General Assembly.

- successful grant applications for fire apparatus benefiting local departments.

Among the current projects Commissioner Wingo cited are plans for a courthouse annex to centralize county offices and ongoing modernization of the 911 emergency communications system without the need for local tax dollars.

Wingo serves on the Energy, Environment and Land Use Committee for the Pa. County Commissioners Assn. He's also a member of the Local Government Advisory Committee to the Chesapeake Bay Executive Council.

A 1964 graduate of Galeton Area High School, he earned a political science degree from Alfred University in 1968. He is also a 1984 graduate of the Command and General Staff College, U.S. Army, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Wingo served in the U.S. Army, retiring in 1993 as a lieutenant colonel. He is active in volunteer services and serves as an assistant fire chief, ambulance company president, EMT instructor and forest fire instructor. He also serves as a deputy coroner and is a member of the All Saints Episcopal Church.

He and his wife, Marcia, live in Ulysses. They have four daughters and four grandchildren.