Liedel to run again for Sylvania Township trustee post

8/19/2009

DeeDee Liedel has formally declared her candidacy for re-election as a Sylvania Township trustee, joining trustee Pam Hanley in seeking a second term on the township board this fall.

In announcing her re-election campaign, Mrs. Liedel cited enhancements to local fire and police services, managed simultaneously with "tight control on spending," as key accomplishments during her current term, to which she was elected four years ago.

In particular, she noted that a police levy passed in 2004 that was expected to need supplemental funding by this year should now suffice through 2013, even though the police department has expanded its training programs.

"This was not done easily. It takes careful planning and constant monitoring of the budget," she said. "But I am proud that we have been able to improve the services provided by the police department while controlling spending."

Mrs. Hanley, who filed her nominating petitions earlier this summer, cited a similar record as she starts her re-election campaign.

During the past four years, Mrs. Hanley said, the township's fund reserve has increased by $5.8 million and its bond rating has climbed to the highest in Lucas County and within the top 10 percent of Ohio townships. A 1.25-mill levy that voters passed in 2008 is providing for new fire stations and five additional firefighters but is not as onerous on taxpayers as would have been a 4-mill tax previous trustees promoted, she said.

Mrs. Hanley also cited stewardship of environmental enhancements, including debris removal from ditches and Ten Mile Creek, and township participation in gypsy moth control among her top accomplishments.

[THE FOLLOWING NEEDS CONFIRMATION - ARE THERE ANY OTHERS WHO HAVE FILED?]

So far, the two incumbents have two challengers: Dennis Boyle, who was unseated from the township board four years ago when Mrs. Hanley and Mrs. Liedel won their seats, and Penny Levine, a member of the Lucas County Storm Water Advisory Committee, which was organized to seek solutions to flooding problems along Ten Mile Creek in the township.

The filing deadline for all non-partisan races in Ohio for the Nov. 3 election is 4 p.m. tomorrow.