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THE EARLY BIRD NEWSPAPER Greenville High School principal
S U N D A Y, N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 6
announces 2017 retirement SUSAN HARTLEY
STAFF WRITER shartley@earlybirdpaper.com
Harbor Freight looking at Greenville locations DARKE COUNTY – Darke County Commission on Wednesday, Nov. 9, approved a pre-lease agreement with Harbor Freight. “They’re looking at one of our properties,” explained Commissioner Mike Stegall. “They’re just looking right now.” Stegall said the property being considered was located in the Wagner Avenue Plaza, with a planned opening in February or March
2017. According to the company’s web site, Harbor Freight offers a selection of more than 7,000 tools and accessories at discount prices, including hand tools, generators, air and power tools, shop equipment and automotive tools. Headquartered in California, Harbor Freight has more than 700 locations, including stores in Dayton and Troy
CLINTON RANDALL
Sheriff Toby Spencer for example, work really hard to help make this campaign a success.” Ormsby says he is grateful that his office team can remain intact and continue to help serve Darke County. Additionally, Ormsby explained that he can now move forward with filling the position of Assistant Prosecuting Attorney that was vacated by Michael Rieman late 2015. “I didn’t want to hire someone and then turn around and have them possibly lose their job if I was not re-elected,” he added. “My office will continue to do most things how we have in the past, but always look to find ways for improvement.”
Voters keep Ormsby STAFF WRITER crandall@earlybirdpaper.com
DARKE COUNTY – As the final election tallies rolled in Tuesday night, it became evident that Darke County Prosecuting Attorney Kelly Ormsby would remain in office for at least another four year term. With just over 23,000 ballots being counted, the Republican candidate was re-elected with nearly 73 percent of the votes. “I am grateful that the voters have chosen to allow me to serve for another four years,” Ormsby told The Early Bird in a postelection interview. “I have had so many great people, like Rep. Jim Buchy and
Aultman wins seat SUSAN HARTLEY
STAFF WRITER shartley@earlybirdpaper.com
DARKE COUNTY – Republican Matt Aultman won his bid for a Darke County Commission seat Tuesday, Nov. 8, with 78.31 percent or 18,327 votes. Aultman will fill the seat being vacated by Diane Delaplane. Delaplane’s seat also was sought by Democrat Leon Rogers, who received 5,075 votes or 21.69 percent. “It’s been gratifying,” Aultman said of his campaign, which he began during the summer of 2015. “I got lots of support from the community, family and friends.” Aultman said he “very much appreciated” all the support from the Darke County community and was “looking forward to what the next four years will bring.” Aultman did not want to comment on current issues facing county commission, explaining he was “look-
ing forward to getting more details on the projects and some of the items of discussion in the county. I need to get more details to make better comments on them.” “I definitely want to thank everyone, especially my neighbors and friends who put up a few (campaign) signs for me and for sharing kind words.” This was Aultman’s first attempt to run for an elected office, although he currently is a member of the Darke County Fair Board with two years left on his term. “I’ll have to come off the fair board since I’ve been elected to commission,” Aultman explained. “It will be up to the fair board to decide what to do with that seat.” Aultman will begin his commission duties Jan. 2, joining Mike Stegall and Mike Rhoades. Rhoades ran uncontested on the Nov. 8 ballot for another term. “I am eager to see what I can bring to the community,” Aultman said.
GREENVILLE – The Greenville Board of Education will be seeking a new high school principal. Jeff Cassell said he submitted a letter of resignation for the purpose of retirement, effective July 31, 2017, to the board of education for consideration during their Nov. 17 regular meeting. This is Cassell’s second retirement following a 35year career in education. At his 30-year mark, he retired from Bethel Schools, then took a job for two
Jeff Cassell has announced his retirement as high school principal with Greenville City Schools. (Gaylen Blosser photo)
years with Newton Schools before returning to Darke County to accept the position as principal at Greenville’s Woodland Primary. The past two school years, he’s served as principal at Greenville High School. “It’s been a great career,” Cassell said Wednesday. “I wouldn’t want to do it any differently.”
A Franklin-Monroe High School graduate, Cassell began his teaching career with Ansonia schools, then taught for 15 years at his Alma Mater in Pitsburg. He also worked with Bradford schools for a year before spending 14 years with Vandalia-Butler Schools, as a middle school and high school principal as well as working with the district’s human resources office before accepting a position with Bethel Schools in Miami County. “My last three years I returned to my roots,” Cassell said of his work in Darke County. Cassell said he decided
to announce his retirement now in order to give administration time to find his replacement. “In my letter I said I would be willing to serve in the central office if a position became available or work in a mentor capacity with my replacement. I wanted to give the board plenty of time” to find a replacement, Cassell said. “I wanted to treat them like I would like to be treated.” The board of education will meet for their regular November meeting at 7 p.m. Nov. 17 in the Anna Bier Civic Center , Memorial Hall. The board also will conduct a work session at 6 p.m.
Over 25,000 cast ballots in 2016 election RYAN BERRY
MANAGING EDITOR editor@earlybirdpaper.com
GREENVILLE – The number of voters from the last presidential election to this election didn’t change much when votes were cast on Tuesday. In 2012 there were about 25,400 and the number remained at that level this year. Once again, Darke County showed it was predominately a Republican stronghold. Those results were evident in the local contested races with the Republican Party candidates winning seats on the Darke County Commission and as the Prosecuting Attorney. Matt Aultman (R) earned over 78 percent of the vote to win the seat. Aultman garnered 18,327 votes to his challenger’s, Leon Rogers (D), 5,075 votes. R. Kelly Ormsby, III was also over the 70 percent mark by taking nearly 73 percent and 16,743 votes. David A. Rohrer earned 6,304 votes. In the race for President of the United States, Darke County was firmly behind Donald Trump giving him 19,698 votes on his way to win Ohio. The vote for the Republican nominee surpassed the total for Mitt Romney in 2012 who earned 18,108 votes. Hillary Clinton received 4,395. Barack Obama garnered nearly 7,000 votes in 2012. The 8th District Congressional Representative, Warren Davidson who earned the seat earlier this year will now have an opportunity to fill a full term. Local voters helped return him to Washington, DC with 18,770 votes. Steven Fought received 3,810 votes and Derrick J. Hendricks took 880 votes. In a five person race for US Senator, Rob Portman won the Ohio vote and Darke County helped
push him over the mark with 20,224 votes. Former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland had to settle for 3,432 votes. Tom Connors picked up 356 votes while Joseph R. DeMare got 266 votes, and Scott Rupert got 405 votes. In Darke County, Republican Keith Faber picked up 11,717 votes to Ed Huff, Jr.’s 3,268 votes to help give him former State Representative Jim Buchy’s seat in the 84th House District. Local residents gave Linda Haycock 3,126 in the election for Member of the State Board of Education’s 1st district on her way to win the seat. Challengers received the following totals – Tanyce Addison (1,861), Martha A. Manchester (2,725) and Lilli Vitale (2,443) In contested races for the Ohio Supreme Court, Pat Fischer won 10,220 votes in the county to John P. O’Donnell’s 8,324. Pat DeWine took 14,413 votes to Cynthia Rose’s 5,680 votes. With 95% of the vote in for the state of Ohio Fischer and O’Donnell’s race was extremely close with Fischer holding a slight lead of 30,000 votes. DeWine was on his way to a victory with nearly 57 percent of the vote from Ohio’s voters. Unopposed candidates were Matt Huffman for 12th District Senate Seat (12,228); Stephen A. Huffman, State Representative 80th District (7,424); Michael W. Rhoades, County Commissioner (19,452); Cindy Pike, Clerk of Court of Common Pleas (20,335); Toby Spencer, County Sheriff (20,880); Linda Stachler, County Recorder (19,653); Scott J. Zumbrink, County Treasurer (17,073); Jim Surber, County Engineer (15,874); Timothy Kathman, County Coroner (19,777); Maureen O’Connor, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (17,136);
Precinct manager Mark Kimmel showed his American pride and Election Day enthusiasm for local voters Tuesday at the Greenville American Legion polling station. (Clinton Randall photo)
Michel T. Hall, Judge of the Court of Appeals (15,558); Mike Tucker, Judge of the Court of Appeals (15,204); Jonathan P. Hein, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas (18,078) The Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services had overwhelming support for their Tax Levy Renewal. The levy easily passed in Darke County by garnering 16,070 of the 24,218 votes that were cast. Miami County supported the levy renewal with 33,945 votes opposed to 16,561. Shelby County added 14,227 votes in favor of the levy. There were 7,807 votes opposed. Issues in communities voting on aggregation for electric and gas all passed. Ansonia Village Electric Aggregation – Yes 273, No 144; Ansonia Village Gas Aggregation – Yes 264, No 150 City of Greenville Electric Aggregation – Yes 2,827, No 2,169; City of Greenville Gas Aggregation – Yes 2,804, No 2,189 Wayne Lakes Electric Aggregation – Yes 247, No 125; Wayne Lakes Gas Aggregation – Yes 231, No 136 Brown Twp. Electric Aggregation – Yes 259, No 136; Brown Twp. Gas Aggregation – Yes 239, No
143 Greenville Twp. Electric Aggregation – Yes 1,312, No 782; Greenville Twp. Gas Aggregation – Yes 1,247, No 800 Additional Issues: Ansonia Village Tax Levy Renewal, 3 mill, 5 years – For 272, Against 158 Bradford Village Tax Levy Renewal, 7 mill, 5 years – For 186, Against 116; Miami Co. results For 309, Against 145 Hollansburg Village Tax Levy Renewal, 6 mill, 5 years – For 62, Against 30 Adams Twp. Fire Renewal, 1 mill, 5 years – For 749, Against 269 Van Buren Twp. Tax Levy Additional 0.5 mill, Continuing – For 400, Against 388 Van Buren Twp. Tax Levy Additional 0.5 mill, Continuing – For 455, Against 332 Mississinawa LSD – Income Tax Renewal 0.75%, 5 years – For 772, Against 695 Overlapping Issues: Minster LSD Tax Levy Renewal 1%, 15 years – For 25, Against 11 Minster LSD Tax Levy Renewal 0.8 mill, 5 years – For 26, Against 11 Tri-County North LSD Tax Levy Renewal 2 mill, 5 years – For 7, Against 15