The results of the November 7 election are in resulting in changes to Clayton and Englewood city councils and the Clay Township Board of Trustees.

Ryan Farmer won the City of Clayton Ward 1 council seat defeating longtime council member Dennis Lieberman by almost a two to one margin. Farmer received 1,276 votes (66.32 percent) while Lieberman received 648 (33.68 percent).

Farmer was propelled to victory in large part on a stance of maintaining rural preservation in Clayton, a theme that gained widespread support even among voters outside of the Ward 1 voting precinct.

Longtime Englewood council member Cathy McGrail won her bid to become mayor in a close race with current Mayor Tom Franz. McGrail received 51.99 percent of the votes, 2,407 while Franz received 48.01 percent or 2,223 votes.

The Clay Township trustee race saw Kyle Groh defeat longtime trustee Steven A. Woolf. Groh received 1,279 votes, 52.63 percent, while Woolf garnered 1,151 votes, 47.37 percent.

The Northmont School Board race had three candidates vying for two seats. Longtime board member Karl “Gerry” Espeleta retained his seat on the board with 5,435 votes, 34.26 percent, while Nick Orrill won the other seat with 5,330 votes, 33.60 percent. Jeffrey Blair finished with 5,099 votes, 32.14 percent.

Two major issues on the ballot were defeated.

Issue 14, Northmont City Schools additional 5.5 mill levy for a period of 10 years was defeated with 7,238 (54.37 percent) against, and 6,074 (45.63 percent) for the levy.

Beavercreek, Centerville, and Vandalia-Butler also had school levies defeated. Oakwood voters approved 6.75 mills levy for a continuing period of time and the Warren County Vocational School bond issue and levy of 0.41 mill and 0.2 mill for 30 years received approval.

Issue 23, the City of Clayton Income Tax – 1.5 percent existing with a 1 percent increase while restoring the 100 percent tax credit, was defeated with 3,158 (59.50 percent) against the income tax and 2,150 (40.50 percent) for the income tax.

Other results

Clayton – Incumbents Kenneth C. Henning (Ward 2) and James T. Gorman (Ward 3) ran unopposed and received 100 percent of the vote for their respective seats.

Clay Township – A 3.25 mills replacement police levy for a continuing period was approved with 928 (64.62 percent) for the levy and 508 (35.38 percent) against the levy. Mark B. Brownfield ran unopposed as fiscal officer. Duane Heuker ran unopposed for trustee.

Englewood – Three council seats were up for grabs with two incumbents running unopposed and a third person running unopposed. Incumbents Brad Daugherty and Steve Henne were re-elected with Fred B. Huelsman joining council as he ran unopposed to occupy the seat previously held by Cathy McGrail, who won her bid to become mayor.

Union – Mayor Mike O’Callaghan ran unopposed as did council members Robert I. Bennett, John Bruns and Lynne Thomas-Roth.

Phillipsburg – Shawna L. Newsom unseated incumbent Mayor Rebecca Ford. Ford received 71 votes (44.10 percent) while Newsom received 90 votes (55.90 percent).

Reach Ron Nunnari at (937) 684-9124 or by email: [email protected].