GOP keeps grip on commission; campaigns praised

Voters reject new Xenia tax, OK levy for public services.

Greene County Republicans maintained their hold on county commission Tuesday, but candidates for both parties praised each other for how they conducted the race.

Also, voters rejected a new tax in Xenia and renewed levies for public services and for Greene Memorial Hospital.

GOP candidate and County Treasurer Dick Gould defeated Democrat Susan Lopez 63 to 37 percent and will replace Alan Anderson on the Greene County commission, according to final, unofficial results from the Greene County Board of Elections.

Gould takes office in January. Commissioners will make a temporary appointment to fill Gould’s position as treasurer, and the county’s Republican Central Committee will make the appointment to serve out the remainder of his term, which ends in 2020.

Gould said he spent election night watching results come in with State Rep. Rick Perales and A.J. Williams, who won his race for the Greene County Clerk of Courts Office.

“I’m humbled at the votes and I hope to prove to the citizens of Greene County that I’m worthy of it,” Gould said. Gould commended Lopez for running a “really strong race.”

“I look forward to having good conversations with her in the future. We can work together ... Greene County is a good county, but I’d like to work to make it a greater county.”

Lopez extended her congratulations to Gould. She said they both agreed early on to run clean campaigns and not to smear each other’s names.

“I’d like to thank those that supported me, the voters,” Lopez said. “It’s a year of your life. There have been many wonderful people I met along the way.”

Lopez said it’s been a difficult year of campaigning, during which she said she made friends, but “the saddest part” is she lost some, partly because of differences in party affiliations.

“It’s been a little bit of a rough year, but a real growing experience,” she said. “I’m a little relieved. I’m not used to focusing on me. I’m usually focused on other people.”

Gould will serve a fouryear term as commissioner while earning an annual salary of $55,970 and receiving the same benefits offered to county employees, including health insurance.

In Xenia, voters defeated a new tax to fund Xenia streets improvements 54 to 46 percent, according to final, unofficial results. The failed tax proposal comes on the heels of voters thrice rejecting a school bond issue for a new building that would have replaced the high school and Warner Middle School.

The 3.5-mill levy would have generated an additional $1.3 million a year to fund the city’s street maintenance program while costing the owner of $100,000 home about $122 a year.

Xenia City Manager Brent Merriman said the results say most voters are unwilling “to increase their tax investment at this time,” which is “understandable and certainly respected.”

“Street rehabilitation remains a legitimate need, and our community will have to continue to search for creative ways to maximize the current resources available to us to address streets,” Merriman said. “There are many competing demands for the limited local resources we have for general governmental purposes, and not all needs can be met.”

Voters overwhelmingly approved renewing four county-wide levies:

■ Issue 5, levy to fund Greene County Hospital operations, passed 62 to 38 percent;

■ Issue 6, levy to fund Greene County Children Services, passed 74 to 26 percent;

■ Issue 7, levy to support Greene County Council on Aging, passed 75 to 25 percent;

■ Issue 8, levy that funds Greene County Developmental Disabilities, passed 67 to 33 percent.

The board of elections will vote to certify the results at its meeting Nov. 20.