BOWLING GREEN - Two current or former Bowling Green City Council members are among the candidates asking Wood County voters to promote them to county offices when they go to the polls Tuesday.
At-large Councilman John Mura, 56, a Democrat, is running against two-term county Commissioner Jim Carter, 65, a Republican, for a four-year seat on the board that coordinates county government and oversees county tax dollars. Commissioners are paid $59,510 annually.
Mr. Mura, former owner of the Falcon House Sporting Goods store in Bowling Green, would have to resign his council seat if elected commissioner. Mr. Carter, a resident and former mayor of Grand Rapids, is retired from Toledo Edison and has been a county commissioner for eight years.
Incumbent Commissioner Alvie Perkins, 71, a resident of Center Township and the only Democrat on the three-man board, is being challenged by Republican Kevin Mellott. A former Ohio State University student, Mr. Mellott, 21, of Bowling Green, is employed as a sales representative for Bowling Green Lincoln-Mercury-Jeep. Mr. Perkins has served five, four-year terms on the board.
Patrick Ng, 65, a six-term city councilman in Bowling Green, is running for county engineer against Raymond Huber, 68, of Middleton Township, who works as the county's chief deputy engineer under county Engineer Anthony Allion, who is retiring.
Mr. Ng did not run for re-election to City Council last year. Both county engineer candidates are civil engineers. The county engineer is paid $86,328 annually.
The only other contested race in the county is for clerk of courts, where Republican incumbent Rebecca Bhaer, 61, of Center Township, is being opposed in her bid for re-election by Democratic newcomer Matthew Lyons. Mr. Lyons, 27, has been a student at Bowling Green State University since 1995 where he plans to graduate in December with a bachelor's degree in political science. Mrs. Bhaer has held the clerk's position since 1987. The clerk is paid $62,487 annually.
Wood County voters will decide whether to increase tax support for the county's Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board.
The board is seeking an additional 0.5 mill and the replacement of an existing 1.1-mill levy that together would generate $4.1 million a year for 10 years or $1.99 million more a year than the current levy does. The money is needed, officials said, to continue the services the agency coordinates.
The board provides counseling, treatment, and educational services to county residents for adolescent substance abuse, childhood behavioral and emotional problems, depression, mental illness, and domestic violence through contracts with agencies such as the Children's Resource Center, Behavioral Connections, and the Family and Child Abuse Prevention Center.
Numerous levies are on the ballot for villages, townships, and fire districts throughout the county.
The newly formed Pemberville Freedom Township Joint Recreation District is seeking a three-year, 1.5-mill operating levy that would generate $83,000 a year to operate the pool at Memorial Park in Pemberville, maintain ball diamonds and tennis courts at the park, and build recreational facilities, such as soccer fields.
In 2002, the village of Pemberville took over the pool from the nonprofit Pemberville Community Pool Board, which had struggled financially for years to keep the pool open. The joint recreation district was formed so that area residents who use the pool could help support it through an operating levy.
The village of Bradner is taking a second stab at passing a levy to keep its community pool open. Bradner voters will decide a five-year, 0.5-mill levy that would raise $6,000 a year for the pool, which also has nearly closed for lack of funding. The same 0.5-mill levy went down by just 13 votes last November.
Other municipal issues on the ballot in the county:
Rossford voters will have four tax issues before them: an additional five-year, 1-mill levy for fire operations; a five-year, 0.4-mill renewal for construction for recreational purposes; a five-year, 0.4-mill renewal for recreation, and a five-year, 0.6-mill replacement for fire equipment.
Portage voters will decide an additional five-year, 2-mill levy for current expenses.
Risingsun voters will be asked to approve an additional five-year, 4-mill levy for police protection.
Center Township has a four-year, 2-mill renewal on the ballot for road maintenance and equipment.
Freedom Township has an additional five-year, 1-mill levy for fire and ambulance equipment on the ballot.
The Henry Township Road District has an additional five-year, 1-mill levy on the ballot for roads, while the Henry Township Fire District is requesting a five-year, 1.5-mill renewal for fire protection.
Lake Township voters will decide a five-year, 1-mill renewal for fire equipment.
Middleton Township voters will decide two replacement issues: a five-year, 0.3-mill levy for current expenses and a five-year, 0.5-mill replacement and decrease for fire equipment and operating expenses.
Plain Township has a five-year, 1.5-mill replacement and increase on the ballot for fire protection.
Weston Township is asking voters to approve an additional 3-mill continuing levy for fire and ambulance equipment.
The Mid-County Ambulance District, which includes Center, Plain, and Portage townships and the villages of Jerry City and Portage, is requesting a three-year, 2-mill renewal and decrease for ambulance and emergency medical service.
Three precincts in Wood County will decide whether to allow the sale of alcohol on Sundays:
In Bowling Green, precinct 110 will decide whether to allow the sale of beer and wine at the Marathon station at 1240 West Wooster St. between 10 a.m. and midnight.
In Lake Township, precinct 390 will decide whether to allow beer, wine, and mixed beverages sales at the Pilot Travel Center, 3483 Libbey Rd. off I-280, or a second option specifying sales at the truck stop between 10 a.m. and midnight.
In Middleton Township precinct 470, voters will decide whether to allow the sale of wine, mixed drinks, and intoxicating liquor at Riverby Hills Golf Course, 16571 West River Rd. between 10 a.m. and midnight.
Contact Jennifer Feehan at:
jfeehan@theblade.com
or 419-353-5972.