CLAKRSBURG, W. Va. — A familiar face will return to the Harrison County Commission to replace now-Senator Mike Romano.
Democrat Frank “Chunki” Angotti edged out former state Senator Sam Cann, 6-5, in third and final round of voting Thursday night, conducted by the Harrison County Democratic Executive Committee.
“I really feel good that the Democratic committee has confidence in me to go back up there and serve with Commissioner Watson and Commissioner Fazzini. We were able to accomplish a lot when I was up there before and a lot of the things on the table right now are projects that we had started when I was there.”
Angotti, a former commissioner, state legislator and a restaurant owner in Clarksburg, was one of four nominated along with Cann, former state legislator Barbara Warner and Rex Starkey.
Romano stepped down in January to represent the state’s 12th Senatorial District. The committee was called upon to find a replacement after the remaining commissioners Ron Watson and Bernie Fazzini could not come to an agreement.
“I think it works out,” Watson said. “You’ve got somebody that won and somebody that didn’t, and that may be unfortunate, but Bernie and I can work with any of the group that was nominated tonight. We’ll be able to come together and move the county on.”
“[Angotti’s] heart’s in the right place,” he continued. “Sometime maybe it doesn’t appear that way, but I’ve never seen him in all the years I’ve known him not to be sincere and to do what’s in the best interest of Harrison County.”
Democratic Party Chair Belinda Biafore was on hand to oversee the selection of a new representative for the party and expects the new leadership to move the county forward.
“This committee had a tough decision to make and I applaud all of them and I applaud all of the candidates that were nominated,” she said. “At the end of the, democracy prevailed and those with the highest votes became the new commissioner. I wish him all the luck and I’m proud of what this committee did tonight.”
Angotti, who has been serving the county in other areas such as Parks and Recreation, returns to the position to serve with Watson and Fazinni again after being previously serving from 2002 to 2010.
“I feel ecstatic,” he said. “I tell you, when people believe in you and you have a history of doing the right thing, it’s nice that they come back and reward you again with for an office you should have never left to begin with.”
He said he is looking forward to working on the new 911 Center, expanding the courthouse facilities to house judges and expanding economic development in the smaller communities in the county.
Angotti will serve out the remainder of Romano’s term, which expires at the end of 2016.
His swearing is scheduled to take place on Friday at 10 a.m. and his first meeting will be Wednesday, when the commission is slated to select a new prosecuting attorney to replace Joe Shaffer, who resigned earlier this month.