One of the three seats on the Clinton Township board of supervisors is up for grabs in this primary election, and that seat belongs to longtime supervisor and current board president Kathy Allen.

One challenger has emerged for the seat, retired township employee Gary McCall. Both candidates have filed as Republicans only and have not cross-filed, meaning that the winner of the primary will most likely be unopposed in the November election.

No Democratic candidates are running in the primary.

Kathy Allen

Kathy Allen, longtime Clinton Township supervisor, said she has created two successful ongoing businesses “based on common sense and achievable vision.” She also has experience in health care administration and education.

She has been serving as a Clinton Township supervisor for 11 years. As chairperson, she said, she and her colleagues understood a need to initiate change in some areas, while maintaining a culture that residents desire.

“We are proud of our many accomplishments, including a balanced budget with no debt, a comprehensive plan approved in 2018 with a current modification to be completed this year, and an increase in preserved farms totaling 1,500 acres through the Pennsylvania Farmland Preservation Program,” she said.

She is a graduate of Butler County Leadership, a member of the Farm Bureau, a founder of the South Butler County Library, and a Foundation Board member of the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau.

Gary McCall:

Gary McCall is retired from PennDOT, where he ran heavy equipment, worked on the paving crew, mowed along the roads and ran excavators. He said he’s done “just about everything.”

McCall retired in 2016.

Allen: “I love and will continue to live in Clinton Township. I have built my life around helping others and have been involved with many community activities.

“I believe that an elected second class township supervisor is an important position that should be taken seriously, especially when you have taken the responsibility of managing property taxes through a budgetary process and to provide the utmost safety through road improvements and timely winter maintenance.”

McCall: “When I retired from PennDOT, I was retired for three months, and I went to work for Clinton Township. I worked for them for eight years, until I lost my leg.

“I had an aneurysm behind my knee and it formed blood clots that started pumping all the blood to the foot, and it ended up that they had to take my leg off. So that changed my lifestyle. I couldn’t do what I used to do, and I thought, ‘Well, I'm going to run for supervisor.’”

Allen: “I would like to continue working with our township team to set up additional goals by engaging residents to become involved in a vision of financial stability with a rural atmosphere with growth and wise planning.”

McCall: “I've lived in the township all my life and I know how things are run. If I'm elected, I want to represent the people of the township.

“I want to hear what their wants and needs are. I'm not in it for myself. I want to hear what the people have to say. I want them to come to me and say, ‘This is what I’d like to see.’ Of course, I'm just one person and I can’t make that decision myself.”

Allen: “(One of) the top three issues affecting Clinton Township now and in the future include managing population growth while adhering to the residents desire to maintain a rural atmosphere yet understanding the need to plan realistically. Our updated zoning map and comprehensive plan and our active energetic planning commission has created the necessary ingredients to work with this challenge.

“The second issue is the management of efficient traffic flow. Route 228 is the main corridor that connects the majority of traffic going east and west. From the roundabout to Sarver, PennDOT District 10 has engaged the supervisors in productive joint planning discussions with road upgrades to begin next year.

“The third issue facing us in the future is unfunded mandates or regulations imposed by state or federal government on second class townships. These mandates could create financial burdens. We need to prepare for these mandates in how they impact our future budget.”

McCall: “I'd like to see Clinton Township stay rural, but if (people) want to build a house, they have to have five acres. And that’s at the upper end of the township.

“At the lower end of the township you have to have 10 acres. And I think that ought to be lowered down to at least two acres to build a house. I guess that's their way of preserving farmland, but it's going to change eventually.

“We're between Middlesex Township and Buffalo Township, and it's really growing, and we're kind of sandwiched in-between. You can only hold (development) off for so long, because it’s eventually going to move into the township.”

Allen: “Creating a worthwhile community to live, work and spend money requires a multifaceted approach. Key factors that contribute to a vibrant community include availability of employment opportunities and support for local businesses.

“Community bonds can be strengthened by organizing festivals and cleanup days. Investing in our Spring Valley Park is an example of improving public space for everyone. Creating community gardens and encouraging the growth of existing farms promotes healthy living and sustainability.”

McCall: “We have the industrial park over here, and there's quite a few businesses there. Mostly it’s a farming community, and I’d like to see it stay that way. But there has to be a balance there somewhere. There are too many rules and regulations in this township. It's probably one of the worst townships as far as rules and regulations.”

More election coverage can be found here.