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By Rick Armon
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 11:26 a.m. EDT, Oct 29, 2009
Lakemore voters better get to know their council hopefuls before they step into the voting booth next week, because no candidates' names will appear on the ballot.
In an odd election twist, the five candidates running for four spots on council are all write-ins, setting up a potentially confusing situation for unprepared voters in the small village.
Summit County Board of Elections Director Marijean Donofrio said she couldn't recall another election filled with so many write-in candidates and no names on the ballot. She said a list of write-ins will be available from poll workers on Election Day, but only if voters ask to see it.
One potential candidate was disqualified by the elections board because of petition problems, and several of the write-in candidates said they didn't decide to run until after the petition deadline had passed.
''People are going to have to actually think about who they're going to vote for,'' candidate Tom Wolfe said. ''If people know you, they'll write your name in.
''If they know you real well, maybe they won't,'' he added, laughing.
The village has had a couple of rocky financial and political years. The community has been slapped several times by state Auditor Mary Taylor for poor financial record keeping. And, the relationship between outspoken Mayor Mike Kolomichuk and council members has deteriorated to the point that council approved a ''no confidence'' in the mayor vote this year.
Earlier this year, the village disbanded its police department and contracted with Springfield Township to save money. The two communities also have been looking into merging fire services.
Village leaders said the difficulties probably scared off some candidates for the six-member council.
The candidates are:
• Troy M. Bradfield, 36, a manager at a Chipotle restaurant. He helped organize the village's Rock the Docks festival and said he wants to remain active in the community.
''This is a watershed moment for the leadership in the village,'' Bradfield said, referring to Lakemore's financial problems.
• Tammie Lyn Coontz, 59. She has been on council since 2005, the village said. She did not return a call seeking comment.
• Marlene D. Hill, 71, a retired real-estate agent. She has been on council since 2005. She said her strengths include representing seniors and housing issues.
''All five candidates running are good candidates and would make excellent council members,'' she said.
• Kevin J. Owens, 53, a retired real-estate agent and former sanitation worker with the city of Cuyahoga Falls. He said he decided to run after fighting to keep a recycling/ethanol plant from moving into the village this year.
''I feel like I can go in there and give honest answers,'' he said.
• Tom Wolfe, 50, who operates two local Pepperidge Farm franchises.
''This is going to be really tough to help Lakemore,'' he said. ''Lakemore's really in trouble.''
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com.
Lakemore voters better get to know their council hopefuls before they step into the voting booth next week, because no candidates' names will appear on the ballot.
In an odd election twist, the five candidates running for four spots on council are all write-ins, setting up a potentially confusing situation for unprepared voters in the small village.
Summit County Board of Elections Director Marijean Donofrio said she couldn't recall another election filled with so many write-in candidates and no names on the ballot. She said a list of write-ins will be available from poll workers on Election Day, but only if voters ask to see it.
One potential candidate was disqualified by the elections board because of petition problems, and several of the write-in candidates said they didn't decide to run until after the petition deadline had passed.
''People are going to have to actually think about who they're going to vote for,'' candidate Tom Wolfe said. ''If people know you, they'll write your name in.
''If they know you real well, maybe they won't,'' he added, laughing.
The village has had a couple of rocky financial and political years. The community has been slapped several times by state Auditor Mary Taylor for poor financial record keeping. And, the relationship between outspoken Mayor Mike Kolomichuk and council members has deteriorated to the point that council approved a ''no confidence'' in the mayor vote this year.
Earlier this year, the village disbanded its police department and contracted with Springfield Township to save money. The two communities also have been looking into merging fire services.
Village leaders said the difficulties probably scared off some candidates for the six-member council.
The candidates are:
• Troy M. Bradfield, 36, a manager at a Chipotle restaurant. He helped organize the village's Rock the Docks festival and said he wants to remain active in the community.
''This is a watershed moment for the leadership in the village,'' Bradfield said, referring to Lakemore's financial problems.
• Tammie Lyn Coontz, 59. She has been on council since 2005, the village said. She did not return a call seeking comment.
• Marlene D. Hill, 71, a retired real-estate agent. She has been on council since 2005. She said her strengths include representing seniors and housing issues.
''All five candidates running are good candidates and would make excellent council members,'' she said.
• Kevin J. Owens, 53, a retired real-estate agent and former sanitation worker with the city of Cuyahoga Falls. He said he decided to run after fighting to keep a recycling/ethanol plant from moving into the village this year.
''I feel like I can go in there and give honest answers,'' he said.
• Tom Wolfe, 50, who operates two local Pepperidge Farm franchises.
''This is going to be really tough to help Lakemore,'' he said. ''Lakemore's really in trouble.''
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
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Posted 04:29 PM, 10/29/2009
• Kevin J. Owens, 53, a retired real-estate agent and former sanitation worker with the city of Cuyahoga Falls. He said he decided to run after fighting to keep a recycling/ethanol plant from moving into the village this year.
In a township in financial trouble, he spearheaded the move to keep business OUT of his village that would have created a tax base. Yeah, I'd vote for that.... What a 'maroon'....
Akron, Oh
Posted 07:46 AM, 10/30/2009
Close it all down and merge with Springfield...save yourselves !
Akron, Oh
Posted 02:22 PM, 11/05/2009
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