Local candidates are scant for November election; Village and township to vote on park levy replacement

by Sue Serdinak

Ohio election issues have been prominent in the news for several months. The August 8 special election for State Issue 1 drew an unprecedented number of voters casting their ballot. On November 7, Ohio voters will decide if an abortion-rights amendment to the Ohio constitution and legalization of marijuana are approved.

The Richfield ballot will include a .5 mil, 10-year replacement tax levy for the Richfield Joint Recreation District. The levy would generate $219,000 annually. The cost to property owners would be about $18 for each $100,000 of the appraised value of property.

The local ballot will have fewer than normal candidates. For Richfield Village council, four people are competing for three seats. The council candidates are incumbents Sue Ann Philippbar and Bobbie Beshara, and first-time candidates Marty Kruszynski and Jay Lawrence Nye. These candidates responded to questions that were printed in the October Richfield Times and can be found at scriptype.com/richfield-times/.

Charles Boester submitted petitions for a seat on council but the Summit County Board of Elections disqualified them because some signers printed instead of signed their names.

Two people are asking voters to elect them to the position of Richfield Township fiscal officer. Laurie Pinney, incumbent, faces Vik Sandhu. They responded to questions in the October Richfield Times.

Five people are seeking election for three seats on the Revere Board of Education. The candidates are incumbents Claudia Mendat Hower, Diana Sabitsch and Courtney Stein, along with first-time candidates Natalie Rainey and Kasha Brackett. These candidates also responded to questions for the October Richfield Times.

 Michael Wheeler is completing his term as mayor, and is seeking re-election. No one is challenging him. Janet Jankura is also unopposed as she is seeking election for her fifth term as township trustee. Wheeler and Jankura have both responded to questions posed by the Richfield Times. Their responses are found on page 25 of this issue.

The salary for the mayor is $83,291 and the salary for village council members is $8,727, with the council president receiving $9,309. In 2024, the pay for Richfield Township trustee will be $15,104, as set by the state, based on the township’s budget. The salary for the township fiscal officer will be $25,963 in 2024. The pay for school board members is $125 per meeting, with a maximum of 30 meetings per year.  ∞