Dan Smith

The man who challenged Rep. Daryl Metcalfe last fall will turn his attention to a county row office in the upcoming election.

Dan Smith of Adams Township announced this week he will seek the county prothonotary seat. The position is currently held by Glenna Walters.

Smith grew up in Zelienople and now lives in Adams Township. He has been employed the past 14 years at Bank of New York Mellon, where he is a senior supervisor. Smith said his experience in the financial sector and passion for public service makes him a perfect candidate for the job.

“I think this would be in my wheelhouse,” Smith said.

Smith highlighted his experience as a supervisor at BNY Mellon, saying he hopes to bring the skills he has learned in the financial industry to the role of prothonotary.

“I think we can keep a fiscally responsible office,” he said. “It's basically what I do for a living now, but I'll be able to serve Butler County as a whole.”

If elected, Smith said he'd bring an outsider's perspective to the office and would work to enhance the prothonotary's use of technology, increase transparency, and work to better engage with the public.

“I think more focus should be done making it more technologically enhanced, via working with the website and other aspects,” he said. “I'd like to make the prothonotary's office more accessible.”

He said this could include meeting with residents and helping people become more familiar with what the prothonotary's office does.

Smith said he believed Walters has done a tremendous job. “I have tons of respect for Glenna,” he said.