In Tuesday's municipal elections, many voters in Clearfield County will choose officials for a brand new city, the result of DuBois and Sandy Township consolidating. There hasn't been a consolidation in Pennsylvania since 1994, when the City of Saint Marys formed from the Borough of Saint Marys and Benzinger Township.
Consolidation is a different process than merging, since it requires the municipalities to dissolve before becoming a new entity. Ben Kafferlin, one of the interim city managers of Sandy Township and the current City of DuBois, said consolidation will save money in the long-term.
"If you take the overhead of the two organizations and you combine them, there will be less overhead costs," Kafferlin said.
The newly-formed City of DuBois will form on January 6, 2026, after years of planning and some stalling.
Sandy Township officials had previously put a hold on the merger because of the ongoing investigation into former DuBois City Manager Herm Suplizio, who's accused of stealing more than $1.5 million in city funds.
City officials hope the consolidation will provide a clean slate for DuBois.
“What has happened in the past, indictments and whatever, is past," Kafferlin said. "So hopefully we’ll be turning over a well-oiled, newly reconditioned machine in the new year.”
On Tuesday, voters will get to choose city council members, the controller and the treasurer for the newly formed city. But:
“The treasurer…there’s no one on the ballot," Kafferlin said.
There are no officially recognized write-in candidates, according to the Clearfield County Elections Office. That means the newly formed city council could have to appoint someone to the treasurer’s position. The council will also appoint the new city manager and mayor.
There are a dozen candidates running for the seven-person city council: four Democrats, seven Republicans and one Independent.
The polls are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
