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New DA, commissioners take office in Bedford

County swears in officials

Bedford County Judge Brandi Hershey swears in (from left) incumbent Deb Baughman and newcomers Mike Stiles and J.R. Winck for their terms on the Bedford County Board of Commissioners on Friday at the courthouse. Mirror photo by Rachel Foor

BEDFORD — Several fresh faces were sworn into office Friday morning, among them a new district attorney and two new county commissioners.

Judge Brandi Hershey swore in former First Assistant District Attorney Ashlan Clark as district attorney. Clark thanked her friends, family and former District Attorney Dwight Diehl for their support.

“I started my career as a prosecutor when I first graduated from law school and always wanted to come back to the DA’s office,” Clark said. “So it really means a lot to me that I get to come back to Bedford County.”

Clark is taking over for Diehl, who was acting as district attorney on an interim basis following the resignation of former DA Leslie Childers-Potts in February. Diehl then brought on Clark as first assistant DA in April. She said working with him has prepared her to take over the position.

“I think it’s going to be a really smooth transition,” Clark said. “We’ve put a lot of policies and procedures in place that’s going to make the office run a lot more efficiently. Working with (Diehl) had been fantastic.”

New Bedford County District Attorney Ashlan Clark is sworn in by Bedford County Judge Brandi Hershey as former District Attorney Dwight Diehl looks on Friday at the Bedford County Courthouse. Mirror photo by Rachel Foor

Clark added that the DA’s Office is “going to be fully staffed for the first time in a while,” as the office has two assistant district attorneys — Megan Flower and Douglas Keating.

Now that she is in office, Clark’s plans are to help get the drug treatment court off the ground and “getting the (DA’s) office to run efficiently.”

Diehl said that he thinks the DA’s office is set up for Clark’s success and that she’ll “do well.”

“She’s been with me since April,” Diehl said. “I’m confident in her ability to handle the office.”

Newcomers Mike Stiles and J.R. Winck, alongside incumbent Deb Baughman, were sworn in as county commissioners.

Stiles thanked everyone who helped put them in office, saying they were a team and would work together using their different perspectives.

Winck, who was the county’s register of wills/recorder of deeds for six years, called his prior experience a blessing.

“I’m hoping to take the lessons learned there and bring them to the commissioner’s office,” Winck said.

Winck and Stiles took over for former commissioners Barry Dallara and Alan Frederick.

Prior to the swearing-in ceremony, the judges commended both Diehl and Frederick for their service to the county.

“Both Mr. Diehl and Mr. Frederick recognized a great need in their county government due to vacancies,” President Judge Travis Livengood said. “They stepped up and they filled that need.”

Hershey agreed, saying she was thankful for their willingness to serve.

“I think both of them accepted their appointed goals somewhat reluctantly and I think, if you look back in history, some of our greatest leaders were reluctant leaders,” Hershey said.

Other officials sworn in on Friday were Carol Miller, Mary Rowzer and Robert Roland as county auditors; Melissa Cottle as treasurer; Wayne Emerick as sheriff; Sheri Lowery as prothonotary; Rusty Styer as coroner; and Brian Baker, who was re-elected as magisterial district judge.

Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor is at 814-946-7458.

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