Sunday alcohol sales on ballot

8/21/2003

A Sunday alcohol sales question for a southern quarter of Swancreek Township will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot, which also gained more candidates this week.

“Lots of customers want Sunday beer sales, especially in the dead of winter or the heat of summer after they've been out mowing lawn,” said Mary Margaret Elizabeth Comstock, owner of Mary's Market on County Road C.

The question, which she filed this week, is the third such question in nine years for the area bordered by County Road A to the south, County Road D to the north, between County Roads 3 and 4 to the east, and County Road 7 to the west.

Questions in 1999 failed 125-140 and in 1994, 180-229. Law requires four years passing before the same question is put back on the ballot; 839 registered voters are in that West II precinct.

If approved by voters, the question would allow sales at all stores with liquor licenses in the precinct between 1 p.m. and midnight on Sundays.

The Swancreek question will be the third question of Sunday alcohol sales on the Nov. 4 ballot in Fulton County. Proposals for Sunday alcohol sales at Ironwood Golf Club and in the northeastern section of Wauseon were filed earlier.

For candidates, the German Township clerk's race will be one of the most competitive, with four seeking one seat. Patricia Short put her name in alongside Joyce Kinsman, Keith Short, and Mari Yoder.

Also filing in the last week:

w Archbold village council: Incumbent Kevin Morton. Three seats are up for election. The other candidates were incumbent Larry Baus, Kenneth Cowell, Kevin Eicher, and Edward Leininger.

w Swanton village council: David Pilliod and Jeffery Pilliod. Two seats are up for election. The other candidate was Pamela Moore.

w Fayette mayor: Anita Van Zile, a village councilman.

w Gorham Fayette school board: Kelly Bentley, David Brinegar, and Terry Kovar. Three seats are up for election.

w Pettisville school board: Thomas Beck. Two seats are up for election. The other candidates were Daniel Bruner and Richard Young.

w Wauseon school board: Incumbent Ruth Ann Smith. Two seats are up for election. Other candidates were Larry Fruth, Larry Lammon II, Todd Myers, and James Parker.

w Amboy Township trustee: Thomas O'Neill and incumbent Thomas Herr were competing for one seat. Rick Raab, an incumbent, was unopposed for election to the unexpired term to which he was appointed last year.

w Amboy Township clerk: Suzanne Holland. The other candidate was Keith Truckor.

w Chesterfield Township clerk: Alan Wyse. The other candidate was incumbent Tina Jones.

w Fulton Township trustee: Scott Gillen.

w German Township trustee: Randy Ruffer. The other candidates were incumbent Stephen Lange and Joseph Short.

w Pike Township clerk: Incumbent Shirley Hamilton.

w Royalton Township clerk: Incumbent Joseph Damman.

w Swancreek Township trustee: Incumbent Phil Wiland. The other candidate was James Foster.

w York Township clerk: Incumbent Roger Morr.

No candidates had filed for nine positions as of early this week and two school boards had more seats open than there were candidates. The filing deadline for the Nov. 4 ballot is 4 p.m. today.

None of the Metamora area positions had candidates, including Metamora mayor, two village council seats, two board of public affairs seats, and two Evergreen school board seats.

Other positions without candidates were Swanton mayor, two Fayette village council seats, Fulton Township clerk, Swancreek Township clerk, and York Township trustee.

Swanton and Pike-Delta-York school boards did not have a full slate.

For the P-D-Y board, Jim Friess filed recently and incumbent Donna Puehler had filed earlier, but three seats are up for election. For the Swanton school board, Karen Wehman was the only candidate. Two seats are up for election.