Early returns not encouraging for incumbent trustees

11/9/2005

Preliminary election returns in township trustee races in Lucas and Wood counties last night hinted at the possibility that several incumbents would be defeated in some crowded and heavily contested fights.

Early and incomplete returns for a seven-way fray for two seats on the Sylvania Township board revealed the possibility of two new faces for next year's board.

With just 26 percent of returns counted, incumbent Dennis Boyle was in fourth place with about 13 percent of the vote tallied.

Fellow incumbent Jim Schwerkoske decided to pursue business interests rather than run, leaving front-runner and newcomer Pam Hanley, a real estate agent, with 20 percent of the vote, and attorney and accountant Dee Dee Liedel with 18 percent. John Jennewine, also a newcomer, was in third with 15 percent of the vote.

More solid returns of 67 percent in Perrysburg Township revealed that a long-time township employee may be a trustee for the next four years.

With two available seats, Gary Britten, the township maintenance supervisor and 26-year township employee, led with 34 percent of the vote over incumbent Bob Mack, who garnered 27 percent.

Incumbent Barb Gunn trailed with 23 percent, and in fourth place was Cindy Patterson with 16 percent of the vote.

In Grand Rapids Township, with 100 percent of the votes in, newcomer George Foos and incumbent George Limes beat out a pair of opponents, including incumbent Les Heyman, for two open seats.

With a third of the votes in in Monclova Township, the contest for two seats between two incumbents and a long-time trustee who recently lost a re-election bid showed incumbent Brian Craig ahead with 42 percent of the vote.

Gary Kuns, a trustee for 20 years who was defeated two years ago, trailed at 36 percent, and incumbent Keith Trettin held 22 percent of the vote.

The only other township with trustee returns in late last night was Springfield Township, where, with just 8 percent of the ballots counted, incumbent Marylin Yoder was ahead of four challengers with a full 40 percent of the vote.

Fellow incumbent Bob Bethel, employee relations manager at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center, was a close second with 35 percent. Henrey Schuster was next with 13 percent.

In the following races, where two, four-year seats were open in each trustee contest, no results were available late last night:

●Waterville Township, where Timothy Pedro battled Tony Urbas, Lynne Myerholtz, Brett Warner, and Kyle Hertzfeld.

●Washington Township, where Barbara Shaheen, trustee chairman, and Denise Rex were seeking re-election against Linda Vaughn and George Plasencio.

● Richfield Township, where the candidates were Gregory Bettinger, Steve Bettinger, Scott Good, Tom Huff, Michael Morrin, Arthur Nevers, Ron Smith, and Karen Winn.

●Spencer Township, where the candidates were Michael Hood, Bob Klumm, Curtis Lancaster, Jodi Staton, and Michael Varanese.

●Jerusalem Township, where the candidates were Joseph Gray, Rodney Graffis, Marvin Bill Hoops, and James Wolfe.

●Swanton Township, where the candidates were Sandy Komisarek, Dennis Tippie, Jim Irmen, Edward Snyder, and John Warkentin.

●Providence Township, where the candidates were Neil Hefflinger, Greg Ludwig, Lance Martin, and Steve Kendall.

●Lake Township, where the candidates were Ron Sims, Richard Welling, Michael Adkins, and Glenn Bowman, Jr.

●Harding Township, where the candidates were Kristene Ragan, Milton Keener, and Doyle Drennan.