(5/15)  Several candidates will be challenging incumbent board and council members up for re-election in Carroll Valley and Fairfield boroughs, and Hamiltonban Township, in the upcoming May 21 primary election.

The most high-profile contest in the Adams County coverage area of the News-Journal will occur between incumbent Carroll Valley Mayor Ronald Harris and mayoral challenger Michael J. Flannery.

Harris will be running for his third term as mayor of Carroll Valley, has served previously as the president of the Carroll Valley Citizens Association, and continues to serve on more than a dozen associations and committees relating to local and county government.

Originally from East Harlem, New York City, Harris moved to Carroll Valley in 1994 and he and his wife, Patricia, have two grown children, one living in Carroll Valley and the other in Virginia.

Harris points out his record as mayor as one of "bringing the right people together" to accomplish tasks that benefit the borough, which he states he will continue to pursue if reelected.

The incumbent mayor stated that he believes he "has a proven record, experience, and the determination to continue to serve if given the opportunity."

Flannery, originally from Washington, D.C., moved to Carroll Valley Borough 25 years ago. He and his wife, Wendy, have two adult daughters who both reside in Maryland.

Regarding his platform in running for mayor, Flannery told the News Journal, said he would like to offer the borough residents "just a fresh look at everything that is being done in Carroll Valley right now, and (evaluate) what direction people want to go."

He said he would like to see the borough more "fiscally conservative, as far as spending, and not be spending money that doesn’t need to be spent. Taxes are a (major) concern of the people."

The challenger also stated that he would like to see an "efficient" borough Police Department, with the mayoral position becoming "a little more effective at overseeing the police force."

Regarding the borough Council, there will be four candidates, including three incumbents, vying for three vacant, four-year term seats. The three vacated seats include those of John Van Volkenburgh, Daniel Joseph Patton and Ken Lundberg, all of whom are running for re-election. A fourth candidate, John Cazalas, will be challenging to win one of the seats.

As of the posting of this news story, it had not been ascertained whether or not Councilman William Reinke’s recently resigned seat on the council will need to be filled in the upcoming election. Former Councilman Frank Buhrman was recently appointed by council to fill Reinke’s seat to serve out the remaining balance of Reinke’s term, potentially on an interim basis if the state requires that resigned seat to subsequently be filled by election.

Borough Secretary Gail Marthers said she was not aware of any proposed write-in candidates.

In Fairfield Borough, the mayor seat and three seats on the borough council will be vacated with no one registered to run for any of the council positions, according to the Adams County Office of Elections & Registration.

Incumbent Mayor Robert R. Stanley will seek-reelection for another four-year term.

The three seats becoming vacant include those of councilmen Dean Thomas, Alex Kessell and Shawn Gageby.

Borough Secretary Susan Wagle said she was not aware of any write-in candidates intending to run for any of the council seats.

In Hamiltonban Township, two township Board of Supervisors six-year term seats will be up for reelection or election, with two incumbents running, one as a write-in, and with two challengers.

The seats being vacated are those presently occupied by supervisors Harry Rood and James Grinder. Contesting the incumbents will be former Supervisor Edward Deardorff and former township Secretary LuAnn Dille.

Township Secretary Deborah Feiler said Grinder will be running as a write-in.