2013 VOTERS GUIDE

Perrysburg to select next mayor, judge

11/2/2013

No matter what happens during Tuesday’s election, Perrysburg residents are going to see some changes.

After Nelson Evans served as mayor for coming on eight years and Perrysburg Municipal Judge S. Dwight Osterud held his position for almost 24 years, both will be replaced in this election.

Mr. Evans' final term is ending, and Judge Osterud is retiring.

There are 19 candidates in the five Perrysburg-area races, including mayor, judge, City Council, township trustee, and school board.

Voters also will decide a 1-mill replacement levy for city trash service. The two-year levy, if passed, would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $100 annually.

In the race for Perrysburg Municipal Court, Molly Mack and Tom Mackin are looking to take over the six-year term for judgeship that has jurisdiction for Perrysburg, Northwood, Rossford, Walbridge, Millbury, and Perrysburg, Lake, and Troy townships.

Mrs. Mack, 52, of Perrysburg Township, is chief of the civil division for the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office. She is the Republican nominee, although candidates appear on the ballot without party affiliation.

Mr. Mackin, 48, has been on the Perrysburg City Council since 1998 and has spent 24 years in private practice. He is running as a nonpartisan candidate.

Republicans Laura Hummer and Mike Olmstead want to be the next Perrysburg mayor, which is a four-year term that pays $28,000 in the next year.

Mrs. Hummer, 52, works one day a week St. Luke’s Hospital in Maumee and is the operations manager for the Haas Business Center LLC and Sandalwood Corp. commercial and residential property development and management firms in the Perrysburg area.

Mr. Olmstead, 49, is the president of Performance over Pain Physical Therapy in Perrysburg and has been on City Council for eight years.

Incumbents Joe Lawless and Sara Weisenburger are competing with Richard Rettig, Barry VanHoozen, and Jim Matuszak for three council positions. The terms are for four year.

Mr. Lawless, 67, is in his 16th year on council. The Republican owns the business Corporate Housing Systems Inc.

Mr. Matuszak, 49, is a certified public accountant and partner in Matuszak & Koder Ltd. in Perrysburg. The Republican is a first-time candidate.

Mr. Rettig, 43, is a Perrysburg High School guidance counselor who has worked in the school district for 15 years. He is endorsed by the Democratic Party.

Mrs. Weisenburger, 32, was appointed to council at the end of May to replace Maria Ermie for the remaining six months on her term. The Republican and former government auditor also handles the finances for her family’s real estate business.

Mr. VanHoozen, 54, has owned a State Farm Insurance agency in Perrysburg since 1990. The Republican has been on the Perrysburg Board of Education for 12 years.

In Perrysburg Township, Robert Mack and Gary Britten are seeking re-election to trustee positions, as Lynn Hunter makes her second attempt at being elected to a four-year trustee term.

Mr. Britten, 61, is the road superintendent and project manager for the Wood County engineer. He first took office as trustee in 2006 and is running for his third term.

Mr. Mack, 48, sells and leases commercial real estate with Signature Associates. He has been a trustee since 2002.

Ms. Hunter, 49, an intervention specialist, ran in 2011 against trustee Craig LaHote. She said she wants more fiscal responsibility with the administration of the township.

Gretchen Downs, Valerie Hovland, and Mark Schoenlein are seeking re-election to four-year terms on the Perrysburg Board of Education.

Jason Decker, Sue Larimer, Lara Martin Lengel, and Cal Smith are challenging the incumbents.

Mr. Decker, 33, is the director of accounting and reporting for Therma-Tru Corp. He says his financial background could help the district, which he said will need a new building in three to eight years. He said voters are less likely to approve additional taxes again.

Ms. Downs, 68, was a teacher for 15 years in several districts and substituted at Perrysburg previously. Ms. Downs, first elected to the board in 2001, said the district needs to add more vigorous curriculum to challenge the Perrysburg students.

A board member since 2005, Ms. Hovland, 51, an attorney at Allotta Farley and Widman law firm, said she is proud of the current board’s ability and hard work bringing in Superintendent Tom Hosler.

Ms. Larimer, 59, is a substitute teacher at Bowling Green Christian Academy and says that working part-time would help give her time to serve as the board’s legislative liaison with the city.

Ms. Lengel, 49, is a professor in the department of communications at Bowling Green State University. She said she wants to make sure that public funds will be spent wisely.

Mr. Schoenlein, 54, is a project manager for Owens Illinois. He said he joined the board in 2001 when things were chaotic and he helped stabilize the district. He said he is nervous about the high costs of state requirements.

Cal Smith, 62, is the managing partner of Radel, Smith and Associates Accountants and Consultants. He said he wants to have a vote to roll back the school tax levy that was passed last year because he thinks taxpayers are dissatisfied.

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