I've decided to become a memember of the Democratic Party and would like the help and support of the county voters to achieve this office. I have no political motives or agenda for doing this, but to get elected, and to serve the citizens of Bedford County. I cannot do anything for anyone unless I can first get into office. I do not want to be elected or not to be elected bevcause of my political
party. Make your choice by my platform and accomplishments, as you should of all candidates for any office. I have been a resident of Bedford County since 1982, and became The first Phlebotomist in the county at Memorial Hospital of Bedford now UPMC Bedford Memorial. I played a big part in the making of Phlebotomy policies that are in place today, and initiated the self contained outpatient collection labs through the county. Many times I have aided the pathologist with the performance of autopsies at the hospital, wich includes post mortem blood and body fluid specimens for analysis. I have completed thousands of chains of commands for urine drug testing,legal blood alcohols,and blood toxocology testing. Before that I worked at Altoona General Hospital as an orderly/morgue attendant, getting bodies ready for autopsy and transportation to a funeral home. I am the first certified phlebotomist in the county through the International Academy of Phlebotomy Sciences. I passed my Pennsylvania State Coroners Boards conducted bye the Pennsylvania State Attorney Generals Office in December of 2009 and have been taking continuing education courses that are required to keep my certified status. I have done this at my own expense, not costing the county a dime. I feel that the burden of proof to the people of Bedford County, lies on the candidate running for an office, that he or she is qualified for that office. I have also completed the continuing education program for Dna testing to establish biological relationships, wich includes DNA specimen collection and preserving the integrity of the specimen with the proper chain of command. This was conducted by The American Society for Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Dna Diagnostics. I have many plans for the Coroners Office. If elected,I will make the office more proactive in the community by developing different programs and by equipping the office to make it more effective. I will do this by trying to obtain grant money and using my coroners salary to make purchases. The tax payers of the county cannot afford any additional expences, also MY WIFE AND I WILL NOT ACCEPT COUNTY BENIFITS OF ANY KIND. I will start different with county agencies,schools and organizations to possibly prevent erros in personal decision making and judgments that could save lives, for an example,show people the ugly consequences of making the wrong choices. Death can be a great deterrent in poor decision making, reckless driving drug overdoses, drunk driving su***de, just to name a few. I would also like to start a bereavement support group with the help of volunteers, to assist people with coming to terms with a death in their personal lives. I will start an " Arrive Alive with the Coroner " program, that would provide free transportaion for people that had just a little too much alcohol tradional partying holidays like New Years Eve. These are just a few of my ideas to make life a little better and to defray costs. I am not running for Coroner to take from the county, but to pay the county back for giving me such a great life here and for making so many friends. I promise that the Coroners Office would be better when i left the office than when i was first sworn into it. That should be the goal of all politicians!!
