Several local races seen on Tuesday

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

There are a number of election races on the ballot in Van Wert County for Tuesday’s general election, with races seen in the city of Van Wert, as well as in rural villages and townships and on a number of school boards in the county.

Van Wert City Council races include the Fourth Ward, where newcomers Jim Hamman and Steve Trittschuh are facing off against each other.

Trittschuh, a Republican, works as a senior systems analyst for Central Mutual Insurance Company. He also served 20 years in the Ohio Army National Guard, including two years active duty that includes service in Operation Desert Storm.

“I believe the most important issue to the growth and health of Van Wert is the creation of good jobs,” Trittschuh said, noting that he feels City Council should continue to find ways to make it easy for current businesses to expand their operations, as well as for new businesses to move to Van Wert and for new business start-ups by local residents.

“City Council should work closely with the city administration and economic development to ensure a coordinated effort to bring new business to the area,” he concluded, adding that a clean and safe community and a city culture that is supportive of the creation and attraction of new business and industry is essential to meeting that goal.

Hamman, a Democrat, is a longtime educator who taught and coached at Van Wert City Schools and served as an administrator at Vantage Career Center, also has business experience with the former Community First Bank (now First Financial Bank) in Van Wert.

A fiscal conservative, Hamman has said that he feels keeping city budgets in line is important to the financial health of Van Wert.

The other City Council race is for three at-large seats. Four veteran Council members are seeking those positions, including incumbents Stan Agler and Brent Crone, both Republicans, and Democrat Jeff Agler, along with former Council member Jon Tomlinson, also a Republican.

In the county, the biggest race is for Venedocia Village Council, where incumbents Lee Lare, Gloria Leiter and Paul Price are being challenged by five people: Thomas Emery, Matt Eutsler, Linda Lea Fox Collins, Sarah Kimmet and Kimra Rowlett for four seats on council.

In Ohio City, incumbents Carol R. Miller and Greg Waterman are running against four challengers – Glory Agler, Carol Brown, Susan I. Gates and Kent Ransbottom, for four seats on that village’s council.

Township rates include those in Jackson, Hoaglin, Pleasant, Tully and Washington townships.

The largest number of people running for township races is in Jackson Township, where five people, including incumbent Eugene Arn and challengers Scott Deitering, Brittin T. Schaffner, Doug Teman and Roger Wilkin, seek two township trustee seats.

In Pleasant Township, Gary Ashbaugh, Lou Dickinson and William Harting are seeking one trustee position, while incumbents Gregory Germann and Timothy Mengerink are challenged by Brian Schaffner for two other trustee seats in that township.

In Hoaglin Township incumbent Milo Schaffner is running against Ricky Ashbaugh and Christopher Webb in a race to fill two township trustee positions, while four people, incumbents Tom Gibson and Phil Kreischer, are running against Jerry D. Parrish Sr. and Jeff Wise for two trustee positions.

In Washington Township, incumbents Larry J. Hoersten and Bob Trentman face opposition from Thomas R. Odenweller and Joe Wittler for two trustee seats.

The only school board race is in the Lincolnview Local School District, where five people – incumbent Eric Germann and newcomers Laura L. Fox, Scott Miller, Lori Eversole Snyder and Jody Taylor – are running for three seats: Germann’s and those vacated by retiring board members Cindy Miller and Sally Snyder (see tomorrow’s edition for stories on local issues).