By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Ryan Lee should have been ecstatic as he drove home from the election watch party Tuesday evening. The newcomer to county politics had just won a seat as a Wood County commissioner.
But he couldn’t help but feel the undertow of the blue wave across the nation.
“I think it’s important that we’re paying attention. There’s a message here,” said Lee, a Republican from Jerry City. “We have to do a better job of listening and being engaged with our residents. We have to be very observant and learn from this.”
Republicans in Wood County are accustomed to winning elections – by wide margins. This year was different.
Lee acknowledged he was caught off guard by the intensity of the wave.
“I didn’t think that blue wave would come down the ticket as far as it did,” he said.
Matt Oestreich, who won re-election as county auditor, shared that sentiment.
“It’s bittersweet, that’s for sure,” he said. The local Republican party had put up quality candidates, he said, but the two judgeships on the ballot went to Democratic candidates. “I wanted a clean sweep.”
But Oestreich, who spent Tuesday harvesting soybeans in Montgomery Township, understands the frustration of voters.
“Nobody likes paying $4 or more for gas. I think those frustrations are spilling out,” he said.
Lee said he is humbled by his victory – “a county commissioner from Jerry City” – population 454. He won the three-way race with the following unofficial tallies:
- Republican Ryan Lee: 26,662 (49.9%)
- Democrat Brenna Reynolds: 24,822 (46.4%)
- Independent Joe DeMare: 1,964 (3.7%)
His focus now will be on getting to know the people and the processes “to make sure we can hit the ground running.” He plans to resign his current position as assistant superintendent at Penta Career Center, and be a full-time county commissioner, filling the position held by Doris Herringshaw.
“I’m excited for the next four years,” Lee said.
He is not new to public service. At age 19, he was elected to Jerry City Village Council, followed by election as mayor in 1999 at age 23.
For 24 years, he has served on the Central Joint Fire District, where he is a firefighter and former assistant fire chief. He served 14 years on the Elmwood Board of Education, and currently serves on the board of the Northwestern Water and Sewer District.
He said his focus will be on maintaining the quality of life in Wood County. As for the touchy topic of property taxes, Lee believes there may be ways to reduce – but not remove the taxes.
Lee is also against tax abatements and non-disclosure agreements between businesses and public officials.
“I may go against the grain, but I’m opposed to any economic development that’s not a good neighbor.”
Oestreich also has a history of public service, being with the county auditor’s office since 2000, when he started out as a 20-year-old inspector in the weights and measures section of the office. He later moved into the position of assistant chief deputy auditor, then was elected county auditor in 2018.
He won re-election with the unofficial count of:
- Republican Matt Oestreich: 28,940 (54%)
- Democrat Mark Wongrowski: 24,922 (46%)
Oestreich said voters seemed to have recognized his experience in the county auditor’s office.
“Not that my opponent wouldn’t have been a good auditor – but he just didn’t have the experience,” Oestreich said.
Oestreich said he plans to continue efforts to make his office more efficient while providing services to the public.
During his most recent term, Oestreich installed two new software systems to improve efficiencies, lower capital expenditures, and enhance security. He said his approach prioritizes efficiency, accountability, and fiscally responsible service to the residents of Wood County.
