Hardin voters back 4-H

KENTON — Hardin County voters showed overwhelming support for the Ohio State University Extension office, approving a levy that keeps the office open in 2010 and beyond.

About 59 percent of voters voted for the 0.4 mill levy that will generate the office about $182,000 a year for the next five years.

“We’re really encouraged we got that kind of support from the public, and we’re going to work hard the next five years to earn that support and respect,” said extension agent Gene McCluer.

With Hardin County commissioners walking a financial tightrope, they’d made the announcement that they wouldn’t be able to fund the extension next year. Voters were more than willing to pick up the slack — even from people like Robert Hovis, who said he’s never had anyone involved with 4-H, but he still supported the levy.

“It’s 4-H,” he said. “I don’t know of anybody against 4-H. It’s a good organization.”

Unofficial election results put the tally at 4,822 in favor and 3,361 against.

Ann Hood, who voted in Ada, also voted for the levy. She said the educational service the extension provides is important, especially with Hardin County’s strong agricultural base.

“That’s kind of what we’re known for around here and it would be nice if we could keep it around,” she said.

McCluer said agriculture in Hardin County is a $182 million business.

“It’s a big business and we try to do our part in getting that unbiased information out to our farmers and businesspeople. And it looks like the majority of them do appreciate that, and we’re going to keep doing that,” he said.

In addition to business information, the extension also supports 4-H programming. McCluer said they have more than 800 youth in 4-H.

In Kenton, the only contested race was for the three at-large City Council seats. Timothy Conkle, Peggy Wren and Brian Hattery were the top vote-getters.

One of the most contested races in the county was that of Alger Village Council.

In the village of roughly 900 people, 10 candidates filed. The top vote-getter, Stephen D. Collings, pulled in 124 votes, or about 14.4 percent. One incumbent, Linda S. Dienstberge, will stay in office while the only other incumbent who was running, Morris G. Lawrence, was voted out.

Countywide, 46.5 percent of voters made their way to the polls.

Elsewhere in the county, voters in Ada and Liberty Township approved a 1 mill renewal levy for the ambulance district 1,048 to 293, and Liberty Township residents OK’d a 1 mill renewal levy for current expenses 870 to 465.