GALION — Three names familiar to Galion residents will be on the ballot for mayor in the Nov. 7 general election.
Incumbent Tom O’Leary will be seeking his second full-length term in office. O’Leary became mayor in June of 2013 after the city moved to a statutory form of government.
“I think that Galion is at a really important part in its development and rebound,” O’Leary explained on his decision to run for re-election. “We’ve got several things moving in the right direction and I think it is important that we have continuity. Now is not a good time to change leadership.”
O’Leary added that he wanted to maintain the direction and leadership that has been established since the city changed forms of government. He stressed the importance of continuing job development and investment into the community, including a redevelopment project of the old PECO II property and the signalization and widening of Ohio 598 and Brandt Road.
“We do have some momentum going and, while not everyone would be in agreement with this, I believe the community feels better about itself and is more positive than it was at the beginning of this term,” O’Leary said.
The city’s utility rates, an often contentious issue, is one that has the candidates taking different sides.
“The answer does not lie in politicizing the cost of electric – the answer lies in understanding the cost of managing the city’s utility and devising rates that fairly collect the money needed to cover the bills the city incurs,” O’Leary stated. “(I’m) very mindful of the need to keep rates as low as possible. In fact, we’ve done that. We’ve lowered water and sewer rates.”
O’Leary added that they’ve managed to keep the electric rates lower than First Energy or Ohio Power.
However, Jim Hedges, a local businessman and current city council member, does not see the city’s current utility rates in the same light.
“You just can’t keep raising people’s taxes and their utility bills and expect to have a city grow by doing that. It’s not going to happen. You’re just going to put it in economic depression,” Hedges said. “That’s why I want to bring industry back, even if it’s 30 jobs here, 20 jobs there, 50 jobs here. I want to help the existing businesses grow.”
As a businessman, Hedges said he understood the need for industry in order to have a town survive.
“I wanted to make a difference, a positive difference,” Hedges said on his decision to run for mayor. “I’m very passionate about bringing industry back to Galion. Galion has gone too long without having industry.”
In addition to growing industry and lowering the utility bills, Hedges said it was important to bring a grocery store to town.
“If I get elected mayor, I’ve got a great group of people on city council I can turn to, I’ve got a great group of people in the city building I can turn to, I’ve got a great group of people at the line department, water and sewer department. I’ll just get everybody together as a collective group, come up with a way to fix the problem,” Hedges added.
Ken Bodkins Sr., another local businessman and a former city council member, has also thrown his hat into the ring.
Bodkins served on Galion’s Planning and Zoning Commission then made the decision to run for city council. He served one and a half years on Galion City Council before the city transitioned into a statutory form of government. He also ran for mayor in 2013, but pulled out of the race to have heart surgery.
Bodkins, who owns Ken’s Auto Repair and Victory Lanes, decided to make a run for city office one last time.
“I’ve seen the good times in Galion, now I see the times changing,” Bodkins said. “Every town like us around is hurting for business and we’re just one of those towns that could use some more business.”
Bodkins said it bothered him to see the city’s taxes being spent on things that don’t benefit the local businesses. He wanted to see improvements and expansion in the east side of town, an area that he believed lacked the proper attention.
“Even though I don’t live on the east side of town anymore, I feel for them,” Bodkins said. “There’s nothing offered out there, but we do have room and land is out there. It’s been neglected.”
“I just want to take care of things. I don’t want for too much,” Bodkins added.
There are a number of other positions being challenged in the city’s government. Current city council member Susan Bean and former city treasurer Paula E. Durbin will be challenging incumbent Brian L. Treisch for city auditor.
Former law director E. Roberta Wade will be challenging the city’s current law director, Thomas N. Palmer.
Incumbents Gail Baldinger, Shirley Clark, and Thomas Fellner will be facing Alice Matthews and Carrie Zeger in the race for three council-at-large seats. In the third ward, Joe Haley will be running against Mike Richart for the seat that is currently being held by Jim Hedges. Jennifer Kuns and Tammy Siclair-Erlsten are on the ballot for the fourth ward seat.
William Comerford and Mark Triplett are running unopposed for the first and second ward seats, respectively. Carl Watt is also running unopposed for council president.
