It takes just about a week to win a seat on a local governing board. Bellwood resident Christopher Creek found that out yesterday.
“Nothing is official yet, but from what I’m told, I got it,” said Christopher Creek, a former Philipsburg resident who, unofficially, grabbed 113 of the 157 write-in votes for a 4-year-term on Bellwood Borough’s governing body.
Creek said he had been toying with the idea of running for Bellwood Borough Council for a couple of weeks, but decided about a week ago to go for it.
“I just printed out a bunch of handouts and stood outside the library handing the flyers,” said Creek, a Republican. “It’s easy to do that when there’s only one polling location.”
Creek said that although he doesn’t have any experience as a public servant, his experience on organizational boards will help him with his first post on a local governing body.
“I just want to bring a fresh perspective to Bellwood,” said Creek. “It’s not that I want to see a lot of changes here, but I would like to see some things get back to the basics.
“I think government is at its best when it stays out of people’s way.”
Creek has lived in Bellwood for the past five years. He and his wife Abby have two 7-month old twins, Mercy and Grace.
Others written-in include Tammy L. McCracken, with 87 votes; David L. Cherry, with 28 votes; Thomas J. Lechner, with two votes; and Chet Dillon, with a single vote.
Two incumbents were also re-elected to sit on the council for four-year stints. John Gunsallus, a Democrat, and Kenneth D. Conrad, a Republican, who was awarded a Republican nomination in a write-in campaign in the May primary.
Those who will not be seen at the council table come January include Thomas J. Lechner and David L. Cherry, although both received write-in votes.
