History made at elected officials swearing in ceremonies

Dec. 30—Local history was made on Friday morning as elected county officials and their deputies were sworn in at the Crawford County Judicial Center by President Judge John Spataro and Francis Schultz.

Those countywide officials elected in November took their oaths of office in Courtroom No. 1 before family and friends. Oaths were administered Friday so they'd be sworn officially to take office on Monday, which is the New Year's Day holiday.

Just before 9:45 a.m., Paula DiGiacomo took the oath of office as the first woman elected to the position of district attorney in Crawford County.

DiGiacomo, a veteran Crawford County prosecutor, had been serving as an assistant DA, then first assistant DA, for close to 30 years, before becoming DA two years ago.

DiGiacomo was sworn in as district attorney on Dec. 30, 2021, to serve out the balance of Francis Schultz's term. Schultz was sworn in as a Crawford County Court of Common Pleas judge on Dec. 30, 2021, after having won election to the bench in November 2021.

This year, DiGiacomo ran unopposed and as a Republican for a full four-year term. In the May primary election, she was unopposed for the Republican Party's nomination and also won the Democratic Party's nomination as a write-in candidate.

Judge Schultz administered DiGiacomo's oath of office on Friday.

"It is an honor to continue to serve the citizens of Crawford County as their elected district attorney," DiGiacomo said following Friday's ceremonies. "I look forward to continuing to work with the brave men and women in law enforcement who keep our community safe. Our office will always strive to do the right thing and ensure that justice is served equally under the constitutions and laws of this country and commonwealth."

Judges Spataro and Schultz took turns administering the oath to the county's commissioners, sheriff, register and recorder, prothonotary, coroner and auditors. Deputies for offices were also sworn.

Republicans Eric Henry and Scott Schell and Democrat Christopher Seeley were sworn as the county's new three-member board of commissioners.

Henry, a Meadville-area businessman, is the current chairman of commissioners, and won re-election to a second term.

Schell and Seeley are new commissioners but have elected office experience.

Seeley of Linesville is closing his third four-year term as an elected county auditor before he moves to commissioner.

Schell of Cochranton is closing his third four-year term as the county's elected coroner before he, too, moves to commissioner.

However, Schell will remain with the coroner's office as chief deputy coroner, which is permissible under Pennsylvania law. Schell will serve under new coroner Eric Coston of East Mead Township.

Coston, a physician assistant and deputy coroner, was sworn in as coroner Friday after having won the post in November. Coston chose Schell as his chief deputy coroner.

David Powers of Hayfield Township was sworn in for a second term as county sheriff.

Emmy Arnett of Greenwood Township was sworn in for a fifth term as prothonotary.

Beth M. Forbes of Union Township was sworn in for a second term as register and recorder.

Republicans Kelsey Zimmerman of Randolph Township and Renee Kiser of Saegertown and Democrat Darien Pfaff of Summit Township were sworn in as the new three-member board of auditors.

Zimmerman, an incumbent auditor, was seeking a full four-year term. Kiser, a fiscal assistant in the county treasurer's office, and Pfaff, a bank teller, were the other two candidates for the auditors office.

Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.