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MARION TOWNSHIP - Long-serving Marion Township trustees Ronald Bruns and Larry R. Reichert are facing a challenge from political newcomer Andrew T. Kremer in the Nov. 4 general election.
Marion Township's board is made up of three trustees, who each serve four-year terms. Bruns and Reichert are both seeking reelection this year. Trustee Perry Unrast won't be up for reelection until 2027.
The top two vote-getters on Election Day will each secure a seat on the Marion Township Board of Trustees.
Marion Township trustees are responsible for the unincorporated burgs of Cassella, Carthagena, Maria Stein, St. Rose and St. Sebastian. They're tasked with maintaining sidewalks, streets and street lighting, and facilitating infrastructure improvements such as central sewage.
The trustees maintain over 44 miles of rural roads and oversee the maintenance of the township's recreational and industrial parks, according to the Marion Communities website.
All zoning commission decisions are approved by the trustees.
The township government consists of the three trustees and one fiscal officer, which are all elected positions.
Kremer
Kremer is a 33-year-old full-time farmer who graduated from Marion Local High School. He and his wife, Katrina, have four children.
"I've never held a public office before, but my prior workforce experience at Maria Stein Grain over the last 15 years or so, I think, has gotten me ready for the (board of trustees), working with customers and building customer relationships," Kremer told The Daily Standard.
Kremer noted that he possesses a clean commercial driver's license record, which he feels would benefit Marion Township.
"I want to help shape the future of our community by serving it," he said, adding that he's firmly anchored to Marion Township. "I feel like I have a lot to offer. I have a lot of good years ahead of me. I'm living in the community and farm here, so I have no intentions to go anywhere."
Kremer also addressed what he feels are important issues moving forward.
"I probably worry about the budget most, keeping up on the roads, making sure the parks are getting what they need," he said.
Bruns
Bruns, 72, said he has served as Marion Township trustee for 24 years. He graduated from Marion Local High School and has four children.
"I operated a farm and I had an excavation business," Bruns said of his career.
Bruns said he's running for another four-year term because he really enjoys the job and is at a point in his life where he can dedicate more time to the position.
"I think we've got a really good team right now with Perry, Larry and myself," he said. "We work very hard together, making decisions on what roads (to) asphalt and service and any maintenance that needs to be done. We're just a very involved group right now."
He also cited various projects undertaken or overseen by the three men in recent times.
"We had a TIF (tax increment financing) program set up for the industrial park for Phase 2 and Phase 3 to do the infrastructure," he said. "We took on maintenance for the bike path so they could get the grant money, which I think was a big improvement for the whole community."
They've also slowly been filling in side ditches to enhance traffic safety, he said.
One of the main issues confronting the board of trustees is funding, Bruns said.
Townships receive revenue from local property taxes, gasoline and motor vehicle license taxes, and the local government fund from the state; townships collect less than 6% of local property taxes in Ohio, according to OTA.
"Our duties are to maintain the roads, and we only have a certain budget that we can spend," Bruns said. "We stay in that budget, and this past year we had 2 1/2 miles of asphalt done. We chipped-and-sealed some roads, and then we replaced four culverts for roads. We do that stuff all in-house if we can."
Reichert
Reichert is a 60-year-old farmer. He graduated from Marion Local High School, and he and his wife, Lynne, have four children and six grandchildren.
"I've been a township trustee for 18 years, and prior to that I was on the school board for six years," Reichert told the newspaper.
His decision to seek another four years in office stems from a continuing desire to serve Marion Township.
"The biggest thing is I enjoy just serving the community," Reichert said. "Like I said, I was on the school board and the township, so just serving the community is my biggest achievement or biggest enjoyment."
He also addressed ongoing issues in Marion Township.
"The biggest thing is being financially responsible for the township," Reichert noted. "The biggest challenge is probably the paving. What's it cost to pave a road anymore? It's over a hundred thousand dollars to pave 1 mile of road and that takes a lot out of the budget."
