Candidates, Issues Face County Voters

The Fulton County Board of Elections has announced candidates for state representative and county offices running in the Tuesday, March 4 primary election.

Also, there will be nine issues, including one countywide, voters will consider.

Bruce W. Goodwin, Defiance, incumbent 74th Ohio House District representative, is unopposed in the Republican primary, as is David J. Pilliod, Swanton, who is running in the Democratic primary. They will face each other in the fall general election.

Dean Genter, rural Archbold, incumbent county commissioner, has competition in the Republican primary from challenger Daniel A. Bruner, rural Wauseon. The winner will face Michael T. VanWagner, rural Swanton, in the fall general election. VanWagner is unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Ivan Hite, Wauseon, is taking on Paul Barnaby, Metamora, the incumbent, in the Republican primary for the second county commissioner seat. No one filed nominating petitions for the Democratic primary.

Paul Kennedy, Archbold, and Scott Haselman, Swanton, face each other in the Republican primary race for county prosecutor. Roger Nagel, Fulton County prosecuting attorney, will not seek reelection. No Democratic challenger has filed.

Unopposed Incumbents

The following incumbents have filed for the Republican primary in their bids to be reelected to their seats in county government. They are unopposed, and no one filed for the Democratic primary for these positions.

Harry E. Murtiff, Delta, county coroner; Frank T. Onweller, Swanton, county engineer; Sandra K. Barber, Wauseon, county recorder; Darrell E. Merillat, rural Wauseon, county sheriff; Beverly Schlosser, Wauseon, county treasurer; Michael J. Bumb, Wauseon, probate and juvenile court judge; Mary Gype, Wauseon, clerk of courts.

Candidates who do not declare a political party affiliation have until March 3 to file nominating petitions for the general election ballot.

Issues

Voters across Fulton County will be asked to approve a replacement seven-tenths (.7) mill property tax levy for operation of the county's 9-1-1 emergency telephone dispatching system.

Under Ohio law, millage charged against property values is reduced to avoid increases in property tax bills due to inflation. If voters approve a replacement levy, the property values are reset to current levels.

If approved by voters, the tax will be collected for five years. It replaces a current levy, which is due to expire.

Gorham Township is asking its voters for a new 1.5-mill, five-year levy for fire protection.

Clinton Township voters are being asked to renew a 1-mill, five-year property tax levy for road improvements. A renewal allows a levy to continue to be collected at reduced property values.

Fayette voters will be asked to renew a 2.9-mill, five-year levy for village operations, and a two-mill, five-year levy for operation of the community parks.

Pike Township is seeking a half-mill (.5), five-year replacement levy for fire protection and emergency medical services, while the village of Delta is seeking a half-mill, five-year levy renewal for recreation expenses.

The Pike-Delta-York school district has a 1-mill, five-year levy renewal on the ballot for the Delta Public Library.

PDY schools is also seeking a $12 million bond issue for the local share of a school construction project, which will be partially funded by the State of Ohio. The average millage required for repayment of the bonds over their 23-year life is 5.1 mills, along with another half-mill, permanent levy for general permanent improvements.