The four candidates for Venango County commissioner responded to questions prepared by the Chamber’s Advocacy committee and moderated by Chamber leaders Trenton Moulin and Frank Hajduk at a forum on Tuesday, October 29.

Chip Abramovic, Sam Breene, Mike Dulaney, and Bonnie Summers, seated comfortably on the stage at Rhoades Auditorium at Clarion University – Venango, each shared their experience that qualifies them to manage the responsibility of more than 450 employees and a budget of $60 million.  Each had similar views of a commissioner’s role in local economic development, most citing job growth as a priority. 

Venango County, like rural communities throughout the country, has experience steady population decline, along with a rapidly aging community.  When questioned about strategies to address this issue, the focus shared was on celebrating the benefits of living and doing business in Venango County, including a low cost of living, a high quality of life (specifically access to attractive outdoor activities), and  proximity to larger business centers. All candidates echoed the need for a common vision and unity in planning for the future.

Election day is Tuesday, November 5th. Find your polling place here.

This article was published in the Venango Chamber’s November 2019 VenangoWorks! Newsletter.