Levy requests, incumbents fare well with voters

5/5/2010

Endorsed Republican Perry Rupp on Tuesday defeated two challengers for Fulton County commissioner.

Mr. Rupp, vice president of Rupp/Rosebrock Inc., a construction firm based in Liberty Center, received more votes than Mark Ballmer and Daniel Bruner. No Democrats were on the primary ballot, meaning Mr. Rupp probably will succeed Commissioner Joe Short, who did not seek a second term on the board.

Republican Paul MacDonald retained his job as clerk of courts in Fulton County, defeating challenger James Parker.

Mr. MacDonald was appointed to the post at the end of 2009 when Mary Gype retired.

In Hancock County, incumbent Commissioner Phillip Riegle defeated challenger John Kovach, former executive director of the Findlay-Hancock County Community Development Foundation. In 2006, Mr. Riegle was just 28 when he was elected to his first four-year term as county commissioner.

When voters in Seneca County finally got the chance to choose their new sheriff, they settled on William Eckelberry by an overwhelming margin.

Mr. Eckelberry, a former captain with the sheriff's office, was named interim sheriff by the county commissioners in January after Sheriff Tom Steyer resigned to take a new job with the U.S. Foreign Service.

A few weeks later, the county's Republican Central Committee rejected the commissioners' appointment and chose as sheriff Mr. Briggs, who at the time was police chief in the village of Attica.

In Sandusky County, Matt Damschroder won a four-way Republican primary for county commissioner over John Rettig, who was appointed to the seat previously held by Brad Smith.

Also running were Republicans Daniel Giebel and Charles Schwochow.

Mr. Damschroder will face Sandra Wise in November, who defeated Glenn Baker in the Democratic primary.

By a wide margin, voters in the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library district approved a 0.5-mill, five-year operating levy intended to raise $707,000 a year.

The first-ever library levy will cost the owner of a $100,000 home $16 a year.

Voters in the Normal Memorial Library district in Fayette approved an additional 0.75-mill, five-year operating levy that will generate about $30,000 a year and cost the owner of a $100,000 home just under $23 a year.

In Bowling Green, voters approved a three-year, 1.4-mill replacement levy for the city parks and recreation department.

The tax, which will generate $770,000 a year, will cost the owner of a $100,000 home $40 a year.

In Lucas County, voters in Oregon agreed to renew a five-year, 0.5-mill police levy, while Richfield Township voters renewed a three-year, 2.5-mill levy for the fire department.