Longtime Carbon County officials retire

For nearly three decades, Carbon County has had two fixtures in county government leading the charge.

Controller Robert Crampsie has overseen the financial aspects for 28 years, while Commissioner William O’Gurek has served 16 years as county commissioner, and prior to that, a decade as the county prothonotary.

But following the end of Jan. 5, both Crampsie and O’Gurek, who have been friends longer than colleagues, are both retiring from public service, taking with them a combined 54 years of experience in serving the people of Carbon County.

Beginning Jan. 6, the new commissioners board will be incumbent Wayne Nothstein and newcomers Rocky Ahner and Chris Lukasevich, while Mark Sverchek will take the lead as county controller.

County controller

Crampsie began his tenure as controller in 1991 after being elected to his first term.

At the time, he was involved in his hometown community of Summit Hill, where he served on the borough water authority, planning commission and served as its auditor.

“I come from a family of public servants,” Crampsie said, noting that his father was the Summit Hill police chief and his mother was a registered nurse. “I think living in that household and knowing the importance of public service had an impact on me.”

Then Controller John Williams was retiring and Crampsie, who was working as an insurance agent, thought this may be a good opportunity for him and his family, so he decided to try his hand in the political world.

Since that election, Crampsie said he has worked with his staff to transform the controller’s office into the “financial hub of county government.”

“When you first come in, you have goals for yourself,” he said. “You’re hoping that you are going to leave the office better than how you found it. I’m pretty confident that is happening, and as I walk out of here, I feel that the office is doing the things a controller’s office should be doing.”

Over the years, Crampsie brought the fiscal data office back under the control of the controller, rather than the county commissioners; implemented Governmental Accounting Standard Boards 34, which changed the way government accounts for its financials to get the clearest picture on how the managers of the county are doing; changed over the financial processing system to a web-based financial accounting system; oversaw an $81 million retirement fund portfolio that is stable for the 340-plus county retirees; oversaw the annual audits of 23 county tax collectors, four district magistrates and the county row officers; and worked diligently with numerous boards of commissioners and row officers to maintain budgets that both met the needs of the county operations, as well as the county taxpayers.

He was reelected to the controller position six more times before deciding now was the time to retire.

“I enjoy what I do and I have been fortunate,” he said. “I have been blessed with a great staff over the 28 years I was here. It is more than a staff though, it’s a second family. But I know it’s time to move on and get someone new to come in, but the hard part is leaving the people behind.”

Crampsie and his wife, Kathy, have four children and 10 grandchildren, and spending time with them is what he is looking forward to most after he retires.

“I want to have the opportunity to help my kids raise their kids,” he said. “I have so much to look forward to. I’m excited about the next chapter of my life.”

But before he leaves his office to his successor, Sverchek, who was elected in November, Crampsie has one word that keeps coming back to him as he reflects on the last 28 years — grateful.

“I’m grateful to the people of Carbon County for giving me this opportunity, for the staff that I have,” he said. “They know what public service is all about and they are dedicated and it has made my tenure here so enjoyable. I am grateful for the supporters who believed in me and that I would do a good job and I am grateful to my family and the sacrifices they made. And I am grateful for my wife. She has been my number one supporter. She has always been there for me and it’s important for me to have that support.”

County commissioner

Much like Crampsie, O’Gurek’s history in public service has spanned decades.

His start in politics occurred 36 years ago after he was recommended by then Summit Hill Councilman Trevor Lawrence for the mayor’s position after Mayor Ken Frassinelli stepped down.

O’Gurek served 10 years as his hometown’s mayor before making the jump over to the county level, but his interest in politics began long before his first appointment. In his early career, he was covering county commissioners, borough council, township and other government meetings as a general assignment reporter for the Times News.

“From being a reporter, I think I became a little cognizant of how government should run,” he said, noting that between his knowledge of government through his career and his desire to help others, he felt he was being called to serve.

After serving as mayor, O’Gurek was again asked to fill a vacancy, this time as the county prothonotary.

He was nominated by the Democratic Party and then Gov. Bob Casey, but was never approved by the Senate. He later went on to win the seat as prothonotary for the remaining two-year term.

O’Gurek served an additional two four-year terms as prothonotary before again making the leap up the political ladder to commissioner.

He and then Commissioner Charles Getz were elected and served as the majority board for two terms before O’Gurek lost to Republican Thomas J. Gerhard.

But fate had other plans for O’Gurek. Getz retired after winning another term, paving the way for O’Gurek to receive yet another appointment to serve the public.

On Jan. 3, 2012, he was sworn in by Carbon County President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II and has since served two terms as minority commissioner of the current board.

Looking back, O’Gurek said that the road he traveled wasn’t always smooth, pointing out that he, Gerhard and Nothstein didn’t see eye to eye after he was appointed, but they realized they were there to serve the people and have forged a bond that has helped them work together ever since.

In the 16 years O’Gurek was commissioner, he is proud to say he only voted for one tax increase and that his biggest disappointment is never being able to get the Packerton Yards project off the ground.

“I’m at the point in time after all these years that it’s time for new leadership here,” O’Gurek said as he readies himself for retirement. “That’s a good thing. I just hope when the people look back, they say the boards that I was fortunate to be a part of did some good things. … Not everything was perfect, but we tried our best.

“My whole career, I would say I was focused on doing what is right, doing what I thought was best for the people and trying to enhance the quality of life for the people.”

He thanked the county employees and commissioners staff, his fellow commissioners, Nanovic, the past and current solicitors and administrators and the public for believing in him to serve Carbon County.

“It’s really a humbling thing when you get elected, knowing that people want you to be there,” he said “I will never forget the relationships and friendships I have made in all the towns of the county. I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”

To the incoming board, O’Gurek offered these words of wisdom.

“If I had to point out one thing I learned sitting in these chairs …is that successful boards are measured by the public perception of the ability of the county to function and the ability of members to relate to each other and where the majority (commissioners) respects the entitlement of the minority members to participate and the minority (commissioner) recognizes the need to provide responsible rather than reflective counterpoint. Rely on each other and take advantage of the highly trained personnel that you have (here in Carbon County).”

Following the end of O’Gurek’s political career on Jan. 5, he said he plans to spend more time with his wife, Siobhan, their children, Billy and Erin, and most especially, their grandson, Jack.

“We are looking forward to it,” he said.