Laine Mack Jr. said Friday that his all-around experience makes him the best candidate for the magisterial district judge position for western Schuylkill County.
"With my family roots, wealth of government experience, workplace leadership and community involvement, I feel that I am the candidate most reflective of the community that I wish to serve," Mack, 48, of Tremont, said of his quest to succeed the retiring Carol A. Pankake.
He said he will be a full-time magisterial district judge, and not hold any other employment outside the office, which is located in Tremont.
Mack is one of four candidates seeking to be nominated in the May 21 primary election. A Democrat, he has cross-filed for both the Republican and Democratic nominations.
Of the county's seven districts, Pankake's covers the largest area, including Pine Grove, Tower City and Tremont boroughs and Barry, Branch, Cass, Eldred, Foster, Frailey, Hegins, Hubley, Pine Grove, Porter, Reilly, Tremont, Upper Mahantongo and Washington townships.
Although he no longer is on Tremont Borough Council, Mack said his 16 years on that body, including 14 as its president, have prepared him for the position.
"During my service to the borough, code enforcement issues, as well as matters of civil and criminal law, were handled," he said.
Those and other issues have taught him the value of working with people, Mack said.
"I led our council's cooperative effort in working with the Tremont borough police, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission officers and wildlife conservation officers of the Pennsylvania Game Commission to affect positive resolution of problem situations," he said. "In many instances, I found that partnering with government officials from neighboring communities and their affiliates produced positive outcomes for all of our citizens."
Mack also said his work as a filler operator for Lehigh Valley Dairy, where he also served as an assistant union steward for five years, will help him serve the people.
"In that capacity, I arbitrated disputes and resolved many grievances to fair and satisfactory resolution on many occasions," he said.
He also has coached Little League, Teener League and traveling AAU baseball and Little Cardinal football teams, served as a board member for the Tremont Area Little League and as president of the Little Cardinals Midget Football Association, Anthracite Midget Football League and the Pine Grove Area Gridiron Club.
The other three candidates seeking Pankake's current position are Tower City Mayor Daniel L. Daub and attorneys Keith D. Hoppes, Tower City, and David J. Rossi, Washington Township.Candidate: Laine Mack Jr.
Age: 48
Residence: Tremont
Office sought: Magisterial district judge for the Tremont area
Party :Democrat
Experience: Tremont Borough Council, 16 years, including 14 as president; filler operator and assistant union steward, Lehigh Valley Dairy
Family: Wife, Nancy; three children, Amanda Daubert, Pine Grove Township, Heather Reichert, Barry Township, and Kyle Mack, Tremont; one grandchild