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July 1, 2013
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Serving The Eastern Maumee Bay Communities Since 1972
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Walbridge celebrating 100 years By Larry Limpf and Tammy Walro news@presspublications.com
Mayor recalls baseball days, swim club A native of Walbridge, Mayor Ed Kolanko describes the village as a close knit community that helped shape him into who he is today. “I attended Walbridge Elementary School, St. Jerome Grade School, and Lake High School. As a youngster I played T-ball and baseball in Walbridge for more than 10 years and was coached by legends such as Tony Mass and Herb Minuto,” he said. “I spent many days and evenings at the Aqua Terrace swim club,” he said. Kolanko said parents felt safe letting their children play in the village in those days – a sentiment that continues today. He describes himself as “proud and humble” to represent the village as mayor during the centennial celebration. The swim club that Kolanko and so
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uote of The Week
Obviously, he had on multiple occasions violated the Ohio Revised Code and still doesn’t think it’s a big deal. Mayor Ed Kolanko See page 6
Storm over Cooley The recent stormy weather made for some dramatic skies over Cooley Canal. (Photo courtesy of Maggi Dandar mdandarphotography.com)
Dabish fills Sheehy’s council seat By Kelly J. Kaczala Press News Editor kkaczala@presspublications.com Businessman Marvin Dabish took the oath of office Wednesday evening to fill the council seat of Oregon Councilman Mike Sheehy. Sheehy vacated his seat to take the seat of former State Rep. Matt Szollosi. Oregon Mayor Mike Seferian told The Press that he administered the oath of office to Dabish at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. The city charter dictates the process of filling a vacant council seat. According to the city charter, the person who received the next highest amount of votes at the last council election gets to fill the seat. When all seven seats of council were up for election in 2011, Dabish finished eighth. If Dabish had been unable to serve, according to the charter, then the person who finished with the next highest number of votes is appointed. If no one is available, then the vacancy is filled by a majority vote of council within 20 days of the vacancy. After 20 days, the mayor has the sole authority to fill the position. Dabish, of Haley Drive, had recently submitted petitions to the Lucas County Board of Elections to run for council by the June 12 deadline. Sheehy, who also submitted petitions before he was appointed to fill Szollosi’s seat, joins incumbents Tom Susor and Sandy Bihn who will not be on the November ballot. Susor is running for mayor against Seferian, who is seeking a second term, and
said he was impressed by Pollauf’s dedication to the position, even though her time there was brief. “She did her homework studying the issues and was very involved as a member of council,” he said.
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I’ve known him to be a very kind, community minded guy.
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The history of the Village of Walbridge predates its actual incorporation in 1913 by more than 70 years when settlers arrived in what was called the Great Black Swamp. A woman heading the Walbridge Centennial Committee has a long history with the Wood County village. And though Darlene Limmer lives in the nearby City of Rossford, her ties to the village remain strong. “My great- great-grandfather was one of the first six settlers there,” she said. “That’s why I got on the committee. I had just retired and wanted to do my family history so it was a perfect time to do that. My greatgrandfather had a grocery store (Sigler’s) in town. My grandfather worked for him and married the boss’s daughter. He bought the store and went into business for himself. And then my dad took over the business. “My roots are so Walbridge,” Limmer said. “I guess it’s that way with everybody. Where you were born and raised will always be home to you.” For her family history, Limmer interviewed her grandmother – then in her 80s – who spoke of life in a home without running water and electricity.
Wild card There is the possibility that another candidate could be put on the ballot if Sheehy submitted a “qualified petition” to the board, according to Seferian. A qualified petition allows a certified candidate to name a five person committee who could nominate someone else to the ballot in case their candidate is no longer running, as in Sheehy’s case. Sheehy could not be reached for comment. Seferian said Dabish has regularly attended council meetings for the last few years. “I’ve known him to be a very kind, community minded guy,” said Seferian. In addition to his narrow defeat for council in 2011, Dabish, 38, ran against former Mayor Marge Brown and Seferian in a primary for mayor in 2009, but was eliminated after coming in third place. Dabish, who is also a grocer, has owned several sweepstakes cafes in Oregon, Toledo, Fremont, Fostoria, and Findlay, as well as in communities in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia. In Internet “sweepstakes” cafes, patrons purchase pre-paid phone cards with Internet minutes to use for gaming on computer terminals.
Marvin Dabish
Bihn’s petitions were not submitted to the board of elections on time. As a result, three new candidates will be elected to council this year. With Dabish taking Sheehy’s seat, that leaves candidates Kathy Pollauf and retired police officer Tim Zale to be elected to Susor’s and Bihn’s seats in November, since there are now only seven candidates running for council. Incumbents Jerry Peach, James Seaman, Dennis Walendzak and Terry Reeves are running for re-election. Pollauf, who has her own massage therapy business, ran unsuccessfully for council in 2007 and 2009. In 2011, she decided not to run. But in September of that year, Councilman Clint Wasserman vacated his seat to take a position with the Lucas County prosecutor’s office. As a result, Pollauf, as dictated by the city charter, filled the seat because she finished with the next highest vote in the previous election, though she was only allowed to serve for a few months until a new council was sworn in. Seferian
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