SWCD special election to be held

SWCD information

The Van Wert Soil and Water Conservation District will hold a special election for District Board of Supervisors in conjunction with the district’s 63rd annual meeting on Thursday, November 15.  Two board members will be elected to a three-year term of office.

County residents and landowners have three options for casting a ballot:

Call the SWCD office at 419.238.9591, extension 101, or visit the office at 1185 Professional Drive in Van Wert from October 26-November 9 to request an absentee ballot.

Cast a ballot at the district office October 26 through the close of business November 14

Cast a ballot at the annual meeting November 15 at Vantage Career Center.

Candidates in this year’s special election are Darryl Ricketts, Tim Waltz and Gary Weck.

Darryl Ricketts, his wife, Ginny, and daughter Tiffany reside in Liberty Township. He also has three stepchildren and nine stepgrandchildren. Ricketts has been farming since 1985 and farms 970 acres. The Ricketts family attends Olive Branch Church of God. He is a member of Farm Bureau, Ohio Soybean Association and the “Oliver Gang” Tractor Club.

Tim Waltz and his wife, Lori, reside in Pleasant Township. They have four grown children and one grandson.  He cash grain farms with his brother. The Waltzes attend Chapel United Methodist Church.  He is a member of Farm Bureau, and Professional Farmers of America.

Gary Weck and his wife, Barbara, reside in Willshire Township. They have four grown children, Terry, Connie, Karen and Cathy. He cash grain farms. They are members of New Horizon Church. He is a Farm Bureau member, has served as a director for the Ohio Federation of Soil & Water Conservation Districts for the past 14 years and has served on the SWCD Board for 24 years.

Van Wert SWCD, established in 1949, is a legal subdivision of state government that provides natural resource management assistance to county landowners and other units of local government.  The Van Wert County commissioners fund the district, and county funds are supplemented by funding from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

The district is governed by a five-member board of county residents.  Board members serve staggered three-year terms.