The LuLac Edition #344, Nov. 8th, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: NEWLY RE-ELECTED COUNTY COMMISSIONER GREG SKREPENAK AND THE LATE COUNTY COMMISSIONER EDMUND C. WIDEMAN.

IS SKREP THE NEW WIDEMAN?

Back in the mid 60s when the Democrats were trying to take control of the county political machine, a former member of the Grand Old Party was instrumental in their rise. In 1963, businessman Ed Wideman was elected the Democratic minority commissioner with GOPers Jim Post and Bill Goss. During those 4 years of Republican reign, a visable encroachment on the party in power began. The minority commissioner, Wideman, started making deals with a member of the Majority, Bill Goss and things started to slide for the once united GOP. Wideman however, paid a political price for some of the motions and machinations. He was respected but not necessarily trusted by either party. And he was caustic in his comments to the media about things he believed were right for the county like a community college for its youth and a nursing home for its elderly. Come 1967, Wideman was elected with Frank P. Crossin to form a majority as the Democrats but came in third in the balloting behind Crossin and Republican Ethel Price. To Crossin's chagrin, Wideman made deals with Ethel Price forming coalitions that passed his agenda but eroded his electoral support. Subsequently, Wideman, in each county commissioner race he ran for in the general election, 1967, 1971, and 1975 , ran third. (He was beaten in the 1979 primary by Frank Crossin and Ed Brominski). It didn't matter to Wideman that he ran third, he was after all part of the majority in power. And it's no small irony that Wideman's only loss came at the hands of his own party.

Greg Skrepenak has a long way to go in matching Wideman's third place finishes. But it is telling that he came in second in this year's election when he far outdistanced Todd Vonderheid in the '03 election. Some will say that the bloom is off the rose for Skrep but his supporters will tell you he has taken some hard stances in his four years in office. And as the point man left to handle things after Vonderheid left, Skrep was thrust into a position of up front leadership whether he wanted it or not. Like Wideman though, Skrepenak has had his share of irrational critics. Wideman was routinely lampooned as a turncoat and deal maker. He was villified weekly in the old Sunday Indy. Skrep has had his slings and arrows aimed at him in letters to the editor. It all comes down to being the face of county government. Skrepenak knows his stuff, he was impressive at the County Commissioneres debate, rationally explaining his decisions and motives. But the more familiar he becomes, the less likeable he will be especially if he and Petrilla make bold moves in the next four years. The longer Skrep stays in office, the lower his vote totals will go. And in a future race, he may even finish third. But leadership sometimes cost you political capital. And as long as it is well spent, then you start building a legacy. I'm sure if you asked Ed Wideman today would he trade a first place finish as the high man in a race for commissioner with no LCCC, or no effiective social services system in place, he'd take the latter. Leadership. Legacy. Skrep can become this generation's Ed Wideman and still be electable, all he has to do is stay the hell out of a primary fight.

5 DEGREES OF TRINI

How sad sack are the Republicans in the County? Well, what if I told you that a former, homegrown Republican planted the seeds for this Democratic sweep? 5 degrees of separation? How about 5 degrees of Trini? Party chairman Mark Bufalino is getting deserved kudos for energizing the Dems and getting the party its first sweep in a decade. Bufalino's father, Atty. Charles was one of the first appointees as solicitor of the Frank Trinisewski/Jim Phillips GOP reign starting in 1983. But when Trini turned Democrat in 1988, he took a boatload of lifelong GOPers with him most notably Atty. Bufalino and people like his long time secretary Helen Mikelski. Anyway, the good barrister's son, Mark Bufalino, had to be influenced by that in some way. And his leadership in party affairs shows he has the skill and panache to pull it off. So in a way, if Frank Trinisewski had not gone away from his party, would the younger Bufalino be a Dem or an R right now? Hard to say but the political legacy of Mr. Trinisewski and his "trinicrats" are still visable in the make up of county politics today. And like Trini did, they win!

MAYFIELD

The slow count of the paper ballots in Lackawanna County slowed down that race in Mayfield Borough. Here's what we know now. In the race that hinged on the debate over a proposed ethanol plant, it appears write-in challengers have scored a major upset and biorefinery opponent Glen Nicolio won re-election.
Turnout was huge soaring over 60 percent.But because write-in ballots are not counted individually until Friday, it is impossible to tell who has captured the remaining seats up for grabs, according to unofficial results, which didn't include the absentee ballots. Mr. Nicolio, the top vote-getter in the race for four-year seats, received 375 votes, with the next highest total going to Janice Joyce, with 306 votes. Since 1,233 write-in votes were cast, it is likely the challengers secured at least one four-year seat, if not two or more.The anti-plant ticket, dubbed the Committee for Mayfield’s Future, includes Stephanie Kulick, Kevin Diehl and Jim Matusinski for four-year seats and Anthony Spataro vying for a two-year term. The latter were frequent guests on WILK's afternoon talkfest, "Corbett".