HONESDALE, PA — Four candidates have announced their run to become Wayne County commissioners this year. Incumbent Republicans Joe Adams and Brian Smith jointly announced that they will be running in the primary in May.

Smith, the commissioner chair, is currently an active dairy farmer and school-bus contractor and has been for the past 33 years. He has been a commissioner and chair for the past 12 years. He is a long-term member of the Farm Bureau and member/past president of the Honesdale Lions Club. A press release says, “During Brian’s tenure as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, Wayne County has not had a tax increase for nine of the 12 years.”

Adams work experience includes Commercial Banking with PNC, real estate property association management at Emerald Lakes and Lake Adventure communities, chief financial officer and business manager of Wallenpaupack School District, wealth manager and senior officer at Morgan Stanley and The Dime Bank and superintendent of Western Wayne School District. He has been a Wayne County commissioner for three years, fulfilling Jonathan Fritz’s remaining term.

On the Democratic side, incumbent Wendell Kay has announced that he too is seeking another term in office. He has been a commissioner since 2008. As county commissioner, Kay chairs the county board of elections and the Local Emergency Planning Committee. He is secretary of the Wayne County Prison Board and represents the county on the Behavioral and Developmental Programs/Early Intervention board. In addition, he chairs the Family Center board, the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program and is a board member for Communities That Care.

Jocelyn Cramer is also running in the Democratic Primary. A press release says she “has been very active in the community since moving here full-time in 2011. In her former role as executive director of SEEDS (Sustainable Energy Education & Development Support), Cramer worked with the county commissioners and Wayne Economic Development Corporation (WEDCO) on the Wayne Tomorrow initiative. “I have tremendous respect for our county commissioners and a deep devotion to Wayne County. I’d be honored to serve as a fellow commissioner and lend my skills to the management and leadership of Wayne County.”