Long-time Wyoming County resident and 1980 Tunkhannock High School Graduate Rick Hiduk has announced his intention to seek the Democrat nomination for Wyoming County Commissioner in the 2019 Primary Election. Hiduk, owner of Endless Mountains Media Services, has stated that his primary goals include greater transparency of county governance, a concerted effort by public and private officials to address the root issues of addiction and reduce jail population, providing greater support to farmers and those struggling to succeed at rural lifestyles, and reasserting Wyoming County’s position as the Gateway to the Endless Mountains for the purpose of tourism and historical preservation.
“I am concerned about and want to reassess our partnerships with agencies and entities in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties,” Hiduk remarked. “From what I have seen in the past, those in urban areas do not fully understand our small town values and therefore frequently under-serve our people. In short, they often do not operate in our best interests.”
Hiduk is a member of the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce and graduated last year from the Chamber’s Leadership Wyoming program. A former board member and current media consultant for the Endless Mountains Heritage Region, Hiduk has helped to catalog the vast historical, recreational and agricultural resources for which the counties are known and that will forever bind them.
As a freelance news reporter and project coordinator, Hiduk has had the opportunity to work closely with the commissioners and other public officials in Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties, experiencing first-hand how effectively rural counties can work together to solve common issues. Hiduk hopes to foster stronger relationships among the commissioners of the Endless Mountains counties to seek solutions to shared problems. His goal is to collaborate with the chambers of commerce and tourism bureaus to better demonstrate what sets our region apart from the Wyoming and Lackawanna valleys and especially the Poconos.
“To borrow a catch phrase from Bradford County, we are a land of ‘endless opportunities,’” says Hiduk. “But we need to convince ourselves and our children of those endless opportunities before we can convince the rest of the world.” Looking back as a member of the Tunkhannock Class of 1980, Hiduk recalls that he and his classmates were acknowledged as an exceptionally bright bunch of students about to be released into a stagnant economy that could never provide enough jobs to meet their needs.
“Some people believe that we are in the same boat today, but I don’t agree with that. We have technical schools in our region that are fast-tracking students into family-sustaining jobs,” Hiduk maintains. “My alma mater has an incredible career-based curriculum that we need to support. If our kids want to stay here, we need to connect them with these career tracks as soon as possible. In the 1980s, the county experienced a ‘brain drain.’ I always knew that I would come back, but many talented people never did.”
Hiduk is a big proponent of fitness and getting outdoors, whether that be paddling or fishing on the Susquehanna River or on one of the county’s lakes. Hiduk promotes sustainable hunting as well as hiking in the State Games Lands and walking a growing number of enhanced trails. “Outdoor recreation is not only good for the body and soul,” he suggests, “It promotes the concept of environmental stewardship.”
Hiduk was the project coordinator for the Historic Tunkhannock Walking Tour, the Rivertowns of NEPA Bus Tour, and Explore Wyoming County’s Parks & Trails – the latter a collaborative effort to sort and classify the county’s green spaces and waterways for more efficient access and promotion.
“I love Wyoming County from the bottom of my heart. I moved away as a young man to gain the knowledge I would need to come back here and make a difference,” Hiduk explains. “In the past four years, my calling to public service has grown to the point where I can confidently state that I am ready to fully serve the residents of Wyoming County, regardless of party affiliation.”