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Rick Conklin back in the race for LH mayor

Rick Conklin

By LAURA

JAMESON

ljameson@

lockhaven.com

LOCK HAVEN — Rick Conklin is back in the race for Lock Haven Mayor and he’s asking for his supporters help.

To earn the Republican nomination and get on the Nov. 5 general election ballot, Conklin must get a minimum of 100 write-in votes in the May 21 primary election.

This is the same number required to be placed on the ballot in the first place, Clinton County Voter Registrar Maria Boileau said.

“I ask all my supporters to write in Richard Conklin for the Republican candidate for mayor on the May 21 primary,” he said in a prepared statement.

Conklin, who announced he would seek the Republican nomination earlier this year, rescinded his candidacy at the beginning of March due to “personal and professional reasons.”

But he said the call to serve has been difficult for him to ignore.

“It will be difficult for many of you to understand why I have decided to enter the race again. The political process is in my blood,” Conklin said. ” I left the campaign believing that, once out of the campaign, I could refocus and not be distracted from my professional obligations. The fact is, that did not happen, and I continue to think about the election every day.

“I owe it to the residents of Lock Haven to give them a committed candidate choice in November. I owe it to myself because I believe I am that choice,” he said.

Conklin has served as a city councilman for nearly 12 years.

Prior to that time he served on the city’s planning commission.

While on council, he held seats on the City Employees Retirement Board, the Clinton County Sewer Authority, the Clinton County Economic Partnership, the Police Pension Fund Board, Veterans Park Committee, the Summer Concert Series Committee and chairs the Historic District Advisory Committee

“Serving is what I have been doing since June of 2007, serving is what I do, serving is what I want do and serving is what I will do,” he said.

Conklin serves as a licensed local pastor for Flemington, Lamar and Mill Hall United Methodist Churches and recently began volunteering in the rotation as a chaplain at UPMC Susquehanna Lock Haven.

He’s lived in the city’s historic district for 21 years with his wife Jacqui.

If successful in the primary, Conklin will face Democrat Joel Long for the mayoral seat in the November election.

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