HARTVILLE: The nonpartisan race for Hartville village mayor features a three-way contest between a one-term incumbent, a two-term councilwoman and a retired businessman.

Councilwoman Linda Miller and citizen activist Edsel Tucker are trying to unseat Mayor Beverly Green.

Tucker's entry into politics started with opposition to one of Green's first initiatives: the proposed construction of a waterline to bring Canton water through town.

He spearheaded the referendum petition drive that put the Woodland Street waterline on the ballot in November 2004. Voters rejected the project.

Now Tucker wants to establish a municipal water fund and study whether to build a water plant.

Bringing a public water supply to the village-owned industrial park is seen as crucial to selling land to prospective businesses. It was one of the driving forces behind Green's attempt to have the Woodland waterline built, a move supported by the council at the time.

Tucker also cites development of the industrial park as one of his priorities.

Tucker has been a vocal critic of Green's attempts to censure Police Chief George Dragovich Jr., who is on paid leave.

In contrast, Miller has been a quiet presence on council.

''If elected, I would bring honesty, open communication and respect for our village back,'' Miller said.

''We have had too much focus on petty things when we need to be working together to make Hartville even a better place to live, to work, to do business, to go to school and to worship.''

She believes her 38 years in the village and two terms on the council, including two years as council president pro tem, qualify her to be mayor.

''Hartville is a dynamite community, and I can't wait for the opportunity to serve as the next mayor,'' Miller wrote in reply to a request for information about her candidacy.

A member of Hartville Mennonite Church, she has served on the Ohio Women's Missionary and Service Commission, including a term as vice president. She is board president of Hartville Meadows, a home for developmentally disabled adults; board president of Hartville Innovative Housing Solutions; and a Special Olympics swim team coach.

Green has promoted business growth as secretary of Talk About Potential, the Downtown Merchants Association and the Uniontown Business Association.

With the council's cooperation, she is trying to establish a program to increase traffic in the historic downtown, which plays second fiddle to the flea markets west of town that draw tourists by the bus loads.

The Main Street Hartville program is being organized by Green and other officials with advice from the statewide preservation group Heritage Ohio.

Green said that once the nonprofit entity is legally established with a board of directors and tax-exempt status, the village may be able to afford to share a Main Street director with another community.

If re-elected, she said, she wants to ''continue the progress we have made during my first term towards the goals of improved economic development, properly controlled growth and the revitalization of our downtown business district.''

The mayor's salary will be $16,537 for the term beginning Jan. 1.