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Smith seeks GOP nod for City Council

SMITH

N. Clifford “Skip” Smith Jr., of 835 First Ave., has announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination for a Williamsport City Council seat in the primary in May.

“I’ve worked hard to serve the citizens of Williamsport,” said Smith, who’s served on council since January 2007.

Devoted to continuing to work on several projects, many meant to protect safety and improve public works, Smith pointed toward his efforts to bring a records-management system for police and perhaps fire and codes departments to interface with.

“We’re now ready to integrate the technology with laptop computers in fire vehicles, which will soon be able to interface with the records-management system,” Smith said.

Such networking can result in databases being used by professional firefighters and codes personnel who might need to know where hazardous materials are stored or where exits and entrances are located.

As a lifelong resident, Smith said he wants to see the city move forward. He also sits on the blighted property review board and has chaired the housing needs committee.

“I want to do my part to help to protect and take care of our citizens,” he said. “I’ve got the educational background, business experience and nearly 10 years on council to keep doing that.”

Smith has attended the Pennsylvania State Police Citizens Police Academy training, is trained in firearms safety and taught homeland security to civic groups. He is a part-time instructor at the Pennsylvania College of Technology and an electrical engineer with training in mechanical engineering.

During his time on council, the city rental ordinance went into effect as did the surveillance camera system, for which he chaired a committee to bring in.

“I think this takes experience,” he said. “Someone just walking in off the street, it would be difficult for them to pick up this type of information without having a background in law enforcement and business experience. I have also in the last two years worked with council to successfully add many thousands of dollars to the training budget for the police department, city sirens for alerting people to emergencies and analysis of the needs of firefighters in terms of buildings and equipment.

“I believe the public safety and works committees dovetail with each other nicely in several major issues facing the city,” he said. Such issues include the levee recertification and study and Grafius Run flood remediation effort, which are public safety and works-related issues.

The public works committee continues working on stormwater management projects and gas, energy and municipal water and sanitary matters to ensure street excavations are completed properly, he said.

In his profession, he is an electrical engineer, but he also took courses in mechanical engineering, gaining the kind of broadbased experience to ask the right questions on issues such as the levee recertification and technically complex issues that frequently are dealt with by council and the administration, he said.

As a part-time teacher at Penn College, Smith said he can explain complex issues in a non-technical way.

Smith said he continues to work to make Williamsport a community in which its citizens are proud to live, work and raise their children. As such, he said he wants to continue to work to create an environment in which its citizens feel safe and in which the children have many recreational opportunities.

As a councilman he’s been involved in bringing a pool to Memorial Park, modernization of Bowman Field, rebuilding of Newberry Park and the present updates planned for Brandon Park.

“Many good things are to come,” he said. “It is noteworthy how seven members of council are fundamentally working together and how each member shares his or her expertise all for a common goal of representing the citizens of our city to the best of their ability.”

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