Incumbents win in Williamstown
By JOLENE CRAIG, jcraig@newsandsentinel.comWILLIAMSTOWN — Officials in Williamstown will remain the same for the next two years as all three incumbents were re-elected Tuesday.
Council members Barbara Lewis and Paul Jordan will begin their second terms with the coming year.
“I am thrilled,” said Lewis, a retired vice president for Williamstown National Bank. “I was really nervous because I’ve never been through this.”
Lewis was appointed to the position in 2005 when elected Councilman David Morris moved out of the city limits. She received the largest number of votes with 643 unofficial votes.
Jordan, regional sales manager for Finley Fire Equipment Co. in McConnelsville, Ohio, and chairman for the city tree commission, was first elected to the seat in 2004 and said he is humbled by the 420 votes he received.
“I appreciated everyone who voted,” Jordan said.
First-time candidate Ben Moore received 376 votes for city council, which he said he was happy with.
“I’m surprised and happy (Jordan) won,” Moore said.
Lewis said she hopes to help the city upgrade streets and sidewalks in the next four years.
“I also think we need to have a comprehensive disaster recovery plan for the town,” Lewis said. “With all the things going on in the world, we need to have a plan for everyone’s safety.”
Jordan plans to have the city complete the core project and begin upgrades to the sewer treatment plant.
“It’s going to be a big project that needs to be done,” Jordan said. “I look forward to getting it started.”
Mayor Jean Ford won the city’s highest position with 709 votes. There were 18 write-in votes for unknown candidates.
“It really doesn’t matter who the votes were for,” said Wood County Administrator Marty Seufer, who is also a Williamstown council member. “The 700-plus votes (Ford) received beat the 18 or so for the write-in.”
Ford cited the swimming pool project as one of the main reasons she is hoping to extend her time in office. “I could not leave office without the pool being done,” Ford said.
The pool is expected to open sometime this summer. This will be Ford’s sixth two-year term.
Council members Seufer and Ron Erb were re-elected in 2006 and will be up for re-election in 2010.
