Auglaize County commissioner candidates discuss issues

ST. MARYS - The two Republican candidates running for Auglaize County commissioner discussed county and national issues at a Wednesday forum hosted by the St. Marys Rotary Club.

Dave Bambauer and Steve Henderson are vying for the seat being vacated by Don Regula, who is retiring. With no Democratic candidates running in the primary, whoever wins the March 17 primary election will likely become the next commissioner.

Bambauer is a graduate of New Knoxville High School and Northwestern Business College in Lima (now known as the University of Northwest Ohio). After graduating from college, he worked in the family business, Bambauer Fertilizer & Seed, for 40 years, growing the business from one location to three. He served as Washington Township fiscal officer for 23 years and has served on numerous boards within the village of New Knoxville. He also is an active lay leader in his church, teaching catechism to junior high students and serving as a board member of Agape Ministries.

Henderson is a graduate of Wapakoneta High School and Ohio University. He has been president of Wapakoneta's city council for 22 years, vice president of the Wapakoneta Area Economic Development Council for 15 years and also serves as treasurer of the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Allen, Auglaize and Harding Counties.

There are plenty of available jobs in the county but a lack of affordable housing. Is there a county program to address this problem or does the solution lie with private contractors and individuals?

Bambauer didn't believe a county program was in place to address the housing issue but also didn't believe the county needed to address the issue. Housing is generally left to cities or villages because they have the resources and utilities to accommodate home construction, he said. The county runs on tax dollars collected from the entire county, and Bambauer believed picking and choosing where homes should go would be unfair.

Henderson agreed the county has plenty of jobs available, and problems around workforce housing are arising. He also believed the issue was not one to be handled at the county level. He has worked to address housing issues while serving on the Wapakoneta City Council, putting things into committee and having various meetings on the problem.

The county has more than 350 miles of roads, and in the last few years, fewer than 20 miles of roadway have been patched or repaved. Can the county expect 15-20 years out of its current roads or how will officials address the problem of gradually decaying roads?

Henderson praised the work done by county engineer Doug Reinhart, the county commissioners and township trustees in caring for the county's roads with the limited resources available. The majority of the county engineer's budget is funded through gas and license plate taxes, which haven't increased in more than 16 years, he said, despite 16 years of ongoing inflation.

Henderson praised the state legislature for increasing the gas tax in late 2019 but said the price of road materials has still risen considerably over time, with the price of hot mix asphalt up 266%.

Bambauer agreed the county should be proud of the work done by Reinhart and his staff in maintaining the county's infrastructure, which is an important part of economic development. As Washington Township fiscal officer, he saw firsthand the rise of the price of hot mix asphalt and said several different sealing methods were utilized on less busy roads to extend their lifespan.

Bambauer said a county official had told him crews hoped to complete 32 miles of road work this year, a big jump since the recently passed gas tax increase, as long as asphalt prices came in as expected. He also questioned how roads would be maintained with the rise of hybrid and electric vehicles using less gas.

How will you work in the best interest of all entities of Auglaize County (townships, villages and cities)?

As taxes are collected from everywhere in the county, it's the duty of the commissioners to make decisions that benefit everyone equally, Bambauer said.

Bambauer pointed out the four-way test of the Rotary Club (Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and lasting friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?) applies to county government and said commissioners couldn't favor certain villages, cities or townships over others.

Henderson agreed, saying he would like to see commissioners become more involved with all municipalities. While some have referred to Henderson as the candidate from the east and Bambauer as the candidate from the west, Henderson said he wants to do what is best for all citizens.

Counties in Virginia have passed legislation declaring themselves "Second Amendment Sanctuary Counties." How would you feel about that for Auglaize County?

Henderson said the issue didn't fall into the realm of a county commissioner's duties, but he was a strong believer in the Second Amendment. He is an avid bowhunter who has traveled the country hunting.

"Don't take my guns, don't take away my constitutional rights that our forefathers put into place over 200 years ago," he said.

Bambauer said county commissioners could not legislate, and therefore wouldn't have the ability to make a law or other such legislation. He said he was a gun owner himself and a deer hunter.

"I would never vote against the Second Amendment. I think that's as sacred as the flag. Two issues that are very dear to my heart that I would stand up for to the end is that and abortion. I'm pro-life, and I feel like those two are things that our country is going maybe way too far to the left on some things," Bambauer said.

Can farmers legally spread manure during the winter? Who is in charge of enforcement, and to whom should people report complaints or violations?

Three sets of rules for manure spreading apply in Auglaize County, Bambauer said. In the distressed Grand Lake watershed, no manure can be applied from Dec. 15-March 15. Additionally, an Ohio-wide rule says no manure can be spread from Dec. 15-March 15 on frozen or snow-covered ground or when the weather forecast calls for a certain amount of rain in a 24-hour period. Depending on the farm equipment being used, however, farmers could make an argument for it. A third set of rules applies to businesses that spread manure for farmers.

Bambauer said if people see something they think could be a violation, they should call the Auglaize Soil and Water Conservation District or the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

Henderson said he was familiar with the manure spreading issue and the water-quality issues that have gained attention in recent years.

Henderson had recently attended a meeting discussing the rollout of H2Ohio, an incentive program for farmers to adopt certain practices that could help reduce nutrient loading and runoff. Henderson said he was glad Gov. Mike DeWine was doing something about water quality issues and Auglaize County would benefit.

While not a farmer himself, Henderson said he would do his research and defer to the agricultural expertise of Auglaize County Commissioner John Bergman if farming-related issues arose.

Woman-on-man domestic violence seems to be on the rise. Does the county need a male shelter facility, similar to what exists for women?

Henderson said domestic violence committed by a woman against a man accounted for less than 1% of domestic violence in the county in 2019, with two reported cases in total. The Auglaize County Crisis Center offers a number of services for victims of domestic violence, men and women, and Henderson applauded their work.

Bambauer said the Crisis Center doesn't receive county funding and is instead funded through donations - an auction, in which he and his wife have participated - and some money through the court system.

The Auglaize County Crisis Center offers alternative accommodations for men suffering domestic violence, though not in the same way as they do for women like a shelter, Henderson said. He, too, praised their work in the county.

Closing comments

Ultimately, the race was about getting out and solving the issues of the county, Henderson said. The commissioners who have come before have done a sound job of leading the county, he added. He looks forward to bringing his leadership skills to the county and helping improve the lives of every citizen.

Bambauer said loves Auglaize County, has loved living and growing up there. He's always had an interest in county government and believes his experiences as a private business owner, township fiscal officer and community service leader make him suitable for the position.

He said he believes he has a "big view" picture of what happens in the county and hopes he can uphold the office and do as well as the county leaders who have come before him.