2019 general election: Monroe County row offices
Monroe County Controller
Four-year term
Marlo A. Merhige
Republican incumbent
Education: Graduated Cum Laude, College Misericordia, B.S. Accounting
Occupation: Monroe County Controller
Qualifications: I became controller in 2000 and have been overseeing all aspects of the controller’s office since 1997. With my leadership skills and on-the-job training, I am a strong advocate for the people of the county.
Q: Do you have specific suggestions for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the office for which you are a candidate?
A: The controller’s office provides independent oversight of the financial affairs of Monroe County, promoting accountability and efficiency in fiscal operations. We have increased transparency and accountability by putting expenses online for the public to see and modernized the office by making county payroll, vendor payments and revenue backup electronic, reducing costs. I am the first vice president of the Pennsylvania State Association of County Controllers, which strengthens my ability to continue to serve as controller.
Luna Mishoe
Democrat
Education: Sociology, BA Master’s Degree City and Regional Planning, MCRP Diplomas: Forensic Science Program Monitoring and evaluation.
Occupation: Retired
Qualifications: I am educationally qualified with: 1. many years of success as an administrator, director and leader; 2. many years of effective and creative grantsmanship and procurement; and 3. many years of program monitoring and evaluations.
Q: Do you have specific suggestions for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the office for which you are a candidate?
A: I will start with an independent third party audit of the controller’s office. The audit will extend beyond financial assessments but will include programs where allocations of controller funds have been made. I will look for new ways which are more efficient and more cost effective ways of doing business. We will monitor on a regular basis and make adjustments accordingly. Allocations may also be adjusted. We will operate more transparently become more assessable.
Monroe County Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds
Four-year term
Josephine Ferro
Republican incumbent
Education: Brooklyn College, 1976, B.A.
Occupation: Register of Wills & Recorder of Deeds Monroe County
Qualifications: Was Chief Deputy of Register of Wills Office for seven years before being elected to the position of register and recorder in 2016.
Q: Do you have specific suggestions for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the office for which you are a candidate?
A: Just a few improvements made:
Development of accounting system to ensure the collection of correct fees; reviewed system processes, changing daily management systems to effect a one-day turnaround for all documents; reviewed accounting and scanning processes, ensuring all financial data is accurately input into system with little chance of error — will continue this review periodically as part of best management practices; implemented training for staff in computer programs and public service.
Anita Peterson
Democrat
Education: Graduate of the National Center for Paralegal Training in Atlanta, Georgia.
Occupation: Real Estate paralegal for Newman Williams, Mishkin, Corveleyn, Wolfe & Fareri.
Qualifications: 45 years of experience in title insurance and title searching, along with my legal and paralegal experience.
Q: Do you have specific suggestions for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the office for which you are a candidate?
A: I plan on moving back the documents and maps that were taken out of the office in the last three years. The register and recorder needs to be present in the office on a daily basis.
I will obtain input from the professionals who use the office every day, make efforts to prevent fraud, and examine e-recordings for security. The office should accept debit cards as payment, instead of making customers purchase money orders.
Monroe County Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts
Four-year term
Beth Rodriguez
Democrat
Education: University of Delaware Bachelor of Science Dietetics and Nutritional Sciences.
Occupation: Housekeeping supervisor, MasterCorp Inc., East Stroudsburg.
Qualifications: Experience providing exceptional customer service skills. Ability to work well under pressure. Ability to handle multiple tasks at once. Great interpersonal skills. Excellent time-management skills. Ability to adapt to multidisciplinary environments.
Q: Do you have specific suggestions for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the office for which you are a candidate?
A: Increase the transparency of the office by explaining to the public what the roles of the two offices are and hold information sessions; allow county business to be done online, make more services available digitally, create a system to answer questions and accept cash and credit for payment; make using the county website and physical office easier to use for those with disabilities, introduce satellite offices and create a presence in the community.
George Warden
Republican incumbent
Education: Stroudsburg High School; Penn State University
Current Occupation: Monroe County Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts and Clerk of Orphans’ Court
Qualifications for Office: Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts 19 years; Owner of PetroCheck, 10 years; Director of Conference Services for a University, four years; Coast Guard Auxiliary, 24 years; volunteering and board membership, various organizations, 30 years.
Q: Do you have specific suggestions for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the office for which you are a candidate?
A: It has been an honor to serve you, the people of Monroe County. I’ve brought my business experience, computer expertise and principles of customer services to these offices, whose major functions are to ensure that all court documents are properly filed. I am proud of the work we have done to help domestic violence victims, improved customer services and the application of front-line technologies to better serve the court and people of Monroe County.
Monroe County Sheriff
Four-year term
Kurt Cummings
Democrat
Education: Samuel J. Tilden High School, Brooklyn, New York, Act 235 certified. Peace Officer Act 3704. Numerous certifications in the field of security.
Qualifications: Chief of the Public Safety Department of A Pocono Country Place for the past six years; police commissioner and treasurer for the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department for the past two years; over 11 years of managerial skills, 15-plus years of law enforcement and security experience; former NYPD Police Communications Technician for two years; former head of the Public Safety Department of Fernwood Resort in Bushkill.
Q: Do you have specific suggestions for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the office for which you are a candidate?
A: Training, training and more training. This will give me the ability to see the strengths and the weaknesses of the office. We can then make the necessary changes to better the staff and the county. I believe that the Sheriff department is currently underutilized in various aspects, and changes are required.
Ken Morris
Republican
Education: Pocono Mountain graduate; United States Marine Corps (2002-2008, Corporal and Sergeant’s leadership course); Allentown Police Academy; Act 2 Sheriff’s certification (2011). Taser instructor, pepper spray instructor. NIK test certified; nine years of mandatory law updates required to keep Sheriff’s certification. Defensive tactics certification.
Occupation: Law enforcement. Sergeant with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Qualifications: Taser and pepper spray instructor for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office; In 2016 promoted to Corporal/Field Training Officer; in 2018 promoted to sergeant.
Q: Do you have specific suggestions for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the office for which you are a candidate?
A: I believe the residents of Monroe County deserve a sheriff and a sheriff’s office that works for the people 24/7. I will be in full uniform and out in the county performing the duties with the uniformed deputies. I am the only certified candidate that can start performing these duties the first day I’m sworn in.
I am committed to continue the mission and traditions of Sheriff Martin, and those who served before him.
Information supplied by the League of Women Voters of Monroe County.
