Mazur, Mengerink offer clear choice

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Today is officially Primary Election Day, with a number of Republicans competing for seats in Van Wert’s city government.

Today’s results will decide who will represent the Republican party in the November general election. In most cases, with no Democrats running, that means the person elected today will take office in January. However, independents could decide to run for mayor or other city offices.

The two candidates for the Republican nomination for mayor represent a clear choice to voters, with one candidate providing decades of public service experience, while the other candidate stresses his business background and management skills.

Ken Mengerink, 65, a lifetime city resident, has extensive political experience, including 20 years on the Van Wert City Board of Education, including 14 years as president, and 14 years on the Vantage Board of Education, eight of those as president. He is currently president of City Council and served eight years on Council back in the 1980s.

Mengerink attended computer programming classes in Dayton and worked 37 years in the Information Technology Department of Central Insurance Companies prior to his retirement. He also is a member of American Legion Post 178 and Elks Lodge 1197.

Mengerink stated his campaign goals include making improvements to city residents’ way of life.

“I will work everyday to make Van Wert a better place to live and raise a family (and) continue to promote economic development,” he said, adding that he also plans to continue efforts already begun to work with the Van Wert County Board of Commissioners to “work as a team, not individual entities.”

Mengerink is married and he and his wife, Karen, have two children, Kenn and Krista, and two grandchildren.

Mengerink promotes his knowledge of city government and the mayor’s position as reasons to vote for him. “I am very familiar with the workings of city government and also the responsibilities of (the) mayor,” he said. “I will work closely with Council to do the things that need to be done to improve Van Wert.”

Mengerink’s opponent, Jerry Mazur, is a 15-year resident of Van Wert, moving here in 2000 to be closer to his late wife, Sonia’s, family in Spencerville.

Mazur, 74, has an extensive business management background and retired from the Otis Elevator Company in Hartford, Connecticut. He attended Broward (Florida) Community College and the University of Nebraska in Omaha.

In 2003, Mazur was appointed to manage the Van Wert Regional Airport and, while in that position, produced three successful air shows at the airport. He also organized the return of the former Hot Air Affair balloon festival as the Hot Air Festival. He estimates the five events brought between 35,000 and 40,000 visitors to Van Wert and redistributed approximately $500,000 into the local economy. He also volunteered on several community projects while in Van Wert.

Mazur is very involved in the community and is currently a member of Sons of the American Legion Squad 178, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5803, Elks Lodge 1197 (former exalted ruler), was a deputy grand knight in Knights of Columbus Council 6034, is a member of the Township Trustees Association and the Fort Myers (Florida) Kiwanis Club. He also belongs to the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Delphos and the National Rifle Association, and is a former member of the Wassenberg Art Center Board of Directors.

A widower, Mazur has three surviving children, 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Mazur said his goals, if elected mayor, are 1. Provide the necessary leadership to bring city, county and concerned parties to the table for the purpose of creating a focused and more effective economic development strategy, and 2. Develop a five-year plan for the city.

“Unlike my opposition, I am not convinced that all is well on the economic development front,” Mazur said of the current city ED situation. “I feel we should be in charge of, and accountable for, the process of economic development locally.”

In the past, Mengerink has lauded the city’s current economic development program and also strongly supports the current program operated by  OSU Extension.

In contrast, Mazur has been a vocal opponent of the city’s economic development contract with the Ohio State University Extension, noting he feels it doesn’t give city officials enough control over the economic development process.

“It is my opinion that local control of economic development is an absolute necessity,” Mazur added. “The director of ED should not be hamstrung and/or directed by an out-of-area entity, such as is presently in place.”

“I want to present our city and county government as being unified and working together for the common good of all our citizens,” he went on to say, adding, “Van Wert city and Van Wert County must have unified and coordinated economic development strategies in order to project the very best image possible to prospective investors.”

Mazur said he feels those seeking development sites are “more than aware of the current fragmented state of our government agencies and, consequently, bypass Van Wert for more user-friendly locations for their clients.”

Mazur has also criticized the lack of apparent progress in the city’s economic development program.

“Over the last several years, Van Wert city ED has applied the same processes over and over expecting different results,” he said. “I want to be that person that works to do things differently in order to get better results. More importantly, I wish to aid in providing our community with a level playing field of opportunities for improved economic development results.

On the need for a five-year plan, Mazur said a long-term plan is crucial to the success of any business.

“Our city could be considered a business, locally owned by its taxpayers,” he said. “I feel a blue ribbon synergistic committee of interested, positive-thinking business owners, taxpayers, community leaders and city officials could come up with a forward thinking plan for the development of the downtown area, parks and other city amenities.”

He added that City Council must soundly endorse, adopt, fund and monitor any planned formulated to ensure appropriate actions are taken each year to meet annual objectives.

“The plan should be reviewed and updated annually as circumstances change, with modifications incorporated into the latest revision as necessary,” Mazur explained. “I have an open mind and am eager to encourage the citizens of Van Wert to get involved with the planning and implementation of a plan which will carry our city well into the next century.

“I am confident that I can provide the leadership required to meet these goals,” he concluded.