MANSFIELD — Local Democratic candidates running for public office shared a little bit about themselves and their campaign objectives during a candidates’ night at the Richland County Democratic Party headquarters on Monday.
This was the first of two candidates’ nights hosted by the Richland County Democratic Women’s Caucus.
Attendees heard from Gary Utt and Ron Davis (county commissioner), James Boyd (county recorder), Matt Mayer (sheriff), and Bambi Couch-Page (county prosecutor).
James Boyd
The decision to run for county recorder is something that James Boyd didn’t take lightly, he said. This November, he will challenge the incumbent Sarah Davis.
On why he’s running, he said, “I’m passionate about real estate and I’m passionate about public service.”
Boyd works as a realtor at Coldwell Banker Mattox McCleery Realtors. He previously served as a Madison Township trustee.
“That was a great opportunity for me to learn how to work with government agencies and the private sector and be able to come up with creative solutions to effectively solve problems for the residents,” he said.
He noted a statistic reported by the FBI which said that identity theft is the fastest growing white-collar crime in the U.S.
“I will be dedicated to making sure that we have the best possible software and the best people to make our office as accurate as possible and know that information is secured,” he said.
Bambi Couch Page
Couch Page hopes to retain her position as county prosecutor in the upcoming election. Her opponent is Gary Bishop.
She has served in the prosecutor’s office for almost 16 years. Prior to that, she worked in the criminal division of the Mansfield city law director’s office.
“I have tried every type of criminal case that you can try, from a speeding ticket, to a capital murder jury trial in my years of experience,” she said.
The Democratic Central Committee appointed Couch Page county prosecutor in 2014 after the death of former prosecutor Jim Mayer Jr.
“I have not only been fiscally responsible, but I have also managed that office with the skill level that is necessary, and I truly appreciate your confidence in appointing me to this position,” she said.
Ron Davis
Davis will make his first attempt at a commissioner seat this November. He is running against Darrell Banks, mayor of Bellville. Davis worked at the AK Steel plant for 40 years.
“In those 40 years, I found the time to do volunteer work around this county,” he said.
He’s been president of the Crawford-Richland Central Labor Council AFL-CIO for 11 years and has served on a number of boards and committees, including the United Way of Richland County, Independent Living Center, jury commission, North Central State College, and the Mansfield City Schools Fiscal Accountability Committee.
“It’s just item after item after item, all over Richland County that I’ve been doing this type of work, and I think this is what’s built up a good foundation for me to run for Richland County Commissioner because I know so many different aspects of what’s going on in the county,” he said.
Matt Mayer
Mayer is running against the incumbent Steve Sheldon in the sheriff’s race.
A Madison High School graduate, Mayer has logged thousands of hours of on-the-job training through school, investigations, covert operations and undercover work, he said.
He worked at the sheriff’s office for 25 years — including 20 years as a detective and five on patrol. The bulk of his experience in the sheriff’s department dealt with major crimes, he said.
“I guarantee you that the starting point is to get a good administration in there,” Mayer said.
He also would like to ensure that the young officers are properly trained.
“I believe in putting God first and your neighbors in front of you — that’s going to be my principle,” he said.
Gary Utt
Utt is seeking another term as commissioner. His opponent is Lexington Village Councilman Tony Vero.
Utt started his first term as commissioner in January of 2005. He’s served on various boards over the years, including United Way of Richland County, Salvation Army, Mansfield Visioning Committee, North Central State College, and more.
Moving forward, he wants to focus his efforts on addressing the drug issue, as well as acquiring body cameras for the sheriff’s deputies.
“I think that’s very important for safety,” he said.
Additionally, he seeks to help bolster workforce development.
“That’s been something we’ve been working on, almost since I came into office,” he said.
Next meeting
The next candidates’ night will be Sept. 12 and will feature speeches from two Democratic candidates for Congress (Roy Rich, HD 7 and Ed Albertson, HD 12), as well as candidates for the Ohio Supreme Court and the 5th District Court of Appeals.
