Washington County heads to polls for primary

Issues, handful of contested races on ballot

BELPRE -- A major issue in today's primary election in Washington County is the proposed bond issue and tax levy for the Belpre City School District.

Polls open at 6:30 a.m and close at 7:30 p.m. today.

This is the third time in a year for a Belpre City Schools levy and bond issue to be on the ballot. The issue failed by only 83 votes in the May 2022 primary, but by 250 in November.

The issue, which includes an 8.567-mill bond levy to consolidate the district's schools onto one campus and a 1-mill permanent improvement levy, requires a majority affirmative vote for passage.

The language on the ballot is:

Shall the Belpre City School District be authorized to do the following:

1. Issue bonds for the purpose of constructing and improving school facilities, including a new middle and high school and including under a program of the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission; furnishing and equipping the same; improving the sites thereof; and acquiring real estate and interests therein as necessary in connection therewith in the principal amount of $42,890,000, to be repaid annually over a maximum period of 37 years, and levy a property tax outside the 10-mill limitation, estimated by the county auditor to average over the bond repayment period 8.567 mills for each $1 of taxable value, which amounts to $299.85 for each $100,000 of the county auditor's appraised value, to pay the annual debt charges on the bonds, and to pay debt charges on any notes issued in anticipation of those bonds?

2. Levy an additional property tax to provide funds for the acquisition, construction, enlargement, renovation, and financing of permanent improvements, that the county auditor estimates will collect $258,719 annually, at a rate not exceeding 1 mill for each $1 of taxable value, which amounts to $35 for each $100,000 of the county auditor's appraised value, for a continuing period of time?

Voters in Belpre will choose a mayor and councilmen in the fall; however, the only municipal primary race contested is in the 4th Ward for City Council.

CITY OF BELPRE

* Mayor: Susan J. Abdella, Republican.

* President of Council: Larry K. Martin, Republican.

* City Council, at large (three): David E. Ferguson, Republican; Nathaniel S. Godfrey, Republican; Penne L. Riffle, Republican; Michael Lorentz, Democrat.

* Council 1st Ward: William W. Locke, Republican.

* Council 2nd Ward: none.

* Council 3rd Ward: Lyndsay Dennis, Republican.

* Council 4th Ward: John J. Ambrozy and Steve Null, Republican.

* Law Director: Tom Webster, Democrat.

No Democrats running in the primary in Belpre or Marietta are in contested races. They will appear on the ballot in the November general election.

Other Races in Washington County today are:

CITY OF MARIETTA

* Mayor: Joshua D. Schlicher, Republican.

* President of City Council: Susan L. Vessels, Republican; David Grande, Democrat.

* Auditor: Sherri J. Hess, Republican.

* Law Director: Paul G. Bertram III, Republican.

* Council At Large (three): Marjorie Bevans, Republican; Cassidi Shoaf, Republican; William Farnsworth, Democrat; Harley Noland, Democrat; Kevin Paskawych, Democrat; Jon Grimm, independent.

* Council 1st Ward: Michael Scales, Democrat.

* Council 2nd Ward: Bret Allphin, Democrat.

* Council 3rd Ward: Bill Gossett, Republican.

* Council 4th Ward: Geoff Schenkel, Democrat.

* Judge of the Municipal Court (countywide): Amy Bean, Republican; Randall Jedlink, Republican; Shoshanna Brooker, independent.

Electric and gas aggregation issues will appear only on ballots for unincorporated areas of the county. In both cases, a majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

The language for the aggregation issues follows:

* Shall the County of Washington have the authority to aggregate the retail electric loads located in the County of Washington, and for that purpose, enter into service agreements to facilitate for those loads the sale and purchase of electricity, such aggregation to occur automatically except where any person elects to opt out?

* Shall the County of Washington have the authority to aggregate the retail natural gas loads located in the County of Washington, and for that purpose, enter into service agreements to facilitate for those loads the sale and purchase of natural gas, such aggregation to occur automatically except where any person elects to opt out?