Veteran politicians defeat BGSU pair

11/9/2005

Two Bowling Green State University students seeking seats on Bowling Green City Council were defeated yesterday by their more experienced opponents.

Voters elected Democrat Gordy Heminger to represent the First Ward over Republican Ashley Harlett. Democrat John Zanfardino was elected in the Second Ward over Republican Ashley Gilbert.

Both juniors at BGSU, Ms. Harlett and Ms. Gilbert were seeking office for the first time, running on promises to represent the interests of university students in the two predominately student wards.

Mr. Zanfardino, a habilitation coordinator for Lott Industries in Toledo, was appointed in May to fill a vacancy on council created when Second Ward Councilman Mike Zickar moved from Bowling Green.

Mr. Heminger, coordinator of Greek affairs at BGSU, served two terms on Maumee City Council during his undergraduate years at BGSU. He will take the place of Sarah Tomashefski, who decided not to run again.

Bowling Green voters also chose Republican Robert McOmber and Democrat Larry Sorrells for two at-large council seats.

Mr. McOmber, who served on the Bowling Green school board from 1996 to 2001, and Mr. Sorrells, who retired earlier this year as Wood County health commissioner, defeated Stanley Bortel, Jr., a former Fourth Ward councilman.

In other area races, Delta voters chose Rose Butz, Catherine Buehrer, and Keith Lantz from a field of seven candidates for village council. Incumbents Allan McQuillin and Frank Wilton were defeated.

Ms. Butz, a legal secretary, was one of three residents who filed a lawsuit against the village clerk over a referendum on a controversial water rate increase.

A visiting judge from Williams County ruled in favor of the clerk, but the case cost the village $22,000 in legal fees.

Archbold voters retained incumbents Kenneth Cowell, Jeff Fryman, and Brad Grime. Former Councilman Roger Pinkelman was unsuccessful in his bid for election.

In Wauseon, voters elected Karen W. Krumm, Douglas W. Shaw, and Jeffrey Lee Stiriz to city council.

In predominately Republican Hancock County, Findlay voters re-elected three incumbents to at-large seats on city council. Republicans Andy Peters, James Slough, and Randy Ward were returned to office, defeating Democrat Kevin Crook.

In Findlay's First Ward, incumbent J. Michael Slough, a Republican, defeated Democratic challenger James W. Madison.

In Lima, four-term Mayor David Berger was elected to serve a fifth term, easily defeating Ned Bushong in the nonpartisan race.