Olmstead is next Perrysburg mayor

Mack wins municipal judge post

11/6/2013
BY MATT THOMPSON
BLADE STAFF WRITER
  • perryvotes05pvv

    Kate Walendzak, 6, center, waits with her brother Connor, 9, right, as their father, Dan, center, signs in before voting at the Fort Meigs Elementary polling location in Perrysburg.

    THE BLADE/KATIE RAUSCH
    Buy This Image

  • Kate Walendzak, 6, center, waits with her brother Connor, 9, right, as their father, Dan, center, signs in before voting at the Fort Meigs Elementary polling location in Perrysburg.
    Kate Walendzak, 6, center, waits with her brother Connor, 9, right, as their father, Dan, center, signs in before voting at the Fort Meigs Elementary polling location in Perrysburg.

    Mike Olmstead will be the next mayor of Perrysburg.

    Olmstead
    Olmstead

    The local businessman and longtime city councilman won with 59.37 percent of the votes against Laura Hummer. Both are Republicans.

    Mack.
    Mack.

    “It was all done with the idea of making the community a strong place to live and a great place to live,” he said. “It is humbling, I wasn’t expecting [to win by that margin]. We have a responsibility to follow through now and I have every intention to do it.”

    In Tuesday’s election, city voters also voted in a new municipal judge, two new board of education members, and three new council members.

    PHOTO GALLERY: Perrysburgers go to the polls

    RELATED CONTENT: Full election results

    Mr. Olmstead, 49, is the president of Performance over Pain Physical Therapy in Perrysburg and has been on council for eight years. It is a four-year term that pays $28,000 in 2014.

    Mr. Olmstead will be taking Nelson Evans’ place as mayor. Mr. Evans served two, four-year terms.

    “He laid a great foundation and now we have to go to the next level,” Mr. Olmstead said. “He built a solid base for future mayors and councils to build on.”

    The city’s municipal court also has a new judge.

    Molly Mack brought in 58.97 percent of the vote to defeat Tom Mackin, who garnered 41.03 percent of the vote.

    Mrs. Mack, 52, a Republican, is the chief of the civil division for the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office. The court’s jurisdiction covers the Perrysburg, Northwood, Rossford, Walbridge, Millbury municipalities, as well as Perrysburg, Lake, and Troy townships.

    “I’m so grateful and overwhelmed; it is humbling,” Mrs. Mack said. “We worked so hard for so long — we started in January. The kids were involved knocking on doors, and I had to take unpaid leave.”

    Perrysburg Municipal Judge S. Dwight Osterud held the position for almost 24 years but is retiring at the end of this year.

    City council will see some significant change with the defeat of incumbents Sara Weisenburger and Joe Lawless. Barry VanHoozen, who is currently on the city’s school board, and Rick Rettig and Jim Matuszak were elected to fill the three seats.

    “I’m excited the voters recognized my hard work,” Mr. Matuszak said. “I will keep working hard to continue to earn their trust and respect.”

    Mr. Lawless was council president and has served on city council since 1998.

    The board of education will see two new faces. Sue Larimer and Cal Smith who were elected with 15.57 and 14.95 percent, respectively. Gretchen Downs was the only incumbent re-elected, with 17.76 percent of the vote. Incumbents Valerie Hovland and Mark Schoenlein were not re-elected.

    The board of education will need to appoint someone in January when Mr. VanHoozen moves to city council.

    “It is sentimental because I’ve been attached to the schools,” Mr. VanHoozen said. “Tonight the city community asked me to serve for the city council, and it is a honor and I’m humbled.”

    The Perrysburg Township trustees will stay intact, as voters re-elected Gary Britten and Bob Mack; they both received a hair more than 36 percent of the vote. Opponent Lynn Hunter was trying to break up the three trustees, which also includes Craig LaHote, who have held the office since 2006.

    The city of Perrysburg’s 1 mill refuse levy passed with 73.61 percent of the vote.

    Contact Matt Thompson at: mthompson@theblade.com, 419-356-8786, or on Twitter at @mthompson25.