PARKERSBURG — Candidates are running for a variety of positions within the Wood County government in the May Primary.

A Wood County Commission seat is up for election as well as others, including sheriff, prosecutor, circuit clerk and assessor.

Robert “Bob” Tebay, 85, of Wood County, is running for re-election as a Wood County Commissioner as a Republican.

A local businessman, Tebay previously served on the commission for two terms from 1997 to 2008, and was re-elected in 2014.

“We have a lot of things that I would like to accomplish on the commission and hopefully we can get them done,” he said of continued growth of the airport, more business development and job growth in the county and be able to keep people in the state.

Sam Baker, 51, of Rockport, is running for Wood County Commissioner as a Republican. He works as a Senior Mechanical Integrity Technician at DuPont. He ran for the position six years ago. He believes county processes can be streamlined and cut expenses. As the population numbers continue on a downward trend, less tax money will be coming in until new businesses can be brought in.

“We will have no choice but to budget,” Baker said. “I want to be able to help the community the best I can.”

Several messages for Roger Brown, a Republican running for the commission, were not immediately returned.

Sheriff Steve Stephens, 62, is running for his second term as sheriff.

He is approaching his 40th anniversary in law enforcement, originally being hired as a deputy sheriff on Feb. 14, 1980, and worked there until April 1982 when he went to the Vienna Police Department for 28 years. He went through the ranks, including five years as police chief. He came back to the sheriff’s department in 2010 to become the Director of Confinement Operations where he remained until being elected sheriff, taking office on Jan. 1, 2017.

“I’m running for my second term because I love my job and feel that I’m making a difference in our community and the sheriff’s office,” Stephens said. “I want to continue as sheriff as there is much more work left to do.”

Pat Lefebure, 43, is running for his second term as Wood County Prosecutor as a Republican.

He has been in the prosecutor’s office for a number of years. He cited his close working relationship with the Wood County Commission and local law enforcement.

“I just want to continue the work we have started involving the fight with the drug epidemic and working with the citizens here in Wood County,” he said. “I love doing the job. It is what I love to do and I really enjoy doing it.

“I just want to continue to do that.”

David Nohe, 67, is running for his second term as Wood County Assessor as a Republican. He had previously served as the mayor of Vienna for 16 years and was elected to two terms in the West Virginia Senate.

“I have enjoyed doing tax and real estate work,” he said of the assessment process. “I enjoy working with my staff and help people with their real estate issues.

“The West Virginia tax system is complex and we are there to explain why the numbers are where they are.”

Celeste Ridgway, 56, of Parkersburg, is running for Wood County Circuit Clerk as a Republican. She was appointed as Circuit Clerk on Jan. 17, 2020, but worked in the Circuit Clerk’s office as a Deputy Clerk the last 13 years. Prior to that, she had 25 years experience in management with a million dollar company and has overseen 26 employees.

“I am running for office because I want to keep the position of Circuit Clerk. I feel I am very qualified for the position since I have worked in the office 10-plus years,” she said. “I am very familiar with the daily duties and operations of the office.”

Charles “Frank” Hughes Jr., 63, of Mineral Wells, is running for Wood County Surveyor as a Republican. He has been doing surveying work since 1976 and has been licensed as a Professional Surveyor in Ohio in 1988 and West Virginia in 1989 and been in private practice since 2003. Hughes was sworn in as County Surveyor in September 2019 to fulfill the position when Kim Marshall retired and moved out of state.

“I’m running for county surveyor because there are 55 counties in West Virginia with only 33 counties that have a professional surveyor fulfilling the office,” he said.

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com