GALENA — Longtime Trustee Jerry Paul is retiring, and voters in Harlem Township will pick among three candidates in the November election to replace him.

The Gazette sent questionnaires to the candidates and heard from two of the three. Their responses are below in alphabetical order. Matthew Shell did not respond, and no campaign information was found.

William Bell

“My name is William Bell,” he told The Gazette. “All of my friends and many neighbors know me as Rusty Bell; but I have to use my legal name on the ballot. I have been called Rusty since I was born (because my father was William Bell also).

“With Jerry Paul retiring after 40 years of service as a trustee and stewardship of our township, I think the three candidates running felt a need to step up to the plate and offer our experience to the township as it faces unprecedented growth that threatens to change the character of our community.”

Bell spoke at a Candidates Breakfast event last week in Sunbury.

“My wife says I am consistent and reliable,” Bell said to The Gazette. “I have had two jobs in my life – I worked at the Harley Hotel for eight years; and then started working for Jegs High Performance, where I have been employed for over 38 years. I began in sales and moved up to customer service supervisor. Racing has been one of my passions since I was in high school. I started out drag racing, and at the same time, I joined the announcing staff at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, where I am one of the permanent pro racing announcers today. I have been racing and announcing at Mid-Ohio for 45 years. As an aside, I also served as the announcer for the first two Harlem Township Days. Mid-Ohio led me to road racing with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), where I served as a member of the Board of Directors and Regional Executive (like president) for our regional chapter, The Ohio Valley Region, of the SCCA. I also served on the GT Ad Hoc committee to the Competition Board, a group that decided what cars would race in which classes, and what modifications could be made to engine performance. It is safe to say that between customer service with Jegs, and my SCCA duties with OVR and the Ad Hoc Committee, I learned strong customer service and problem-solving skills. It is always my objective to find common ground and common-sense solutions to problems and disagreements.

“Delaware County is experiencing explosive growth, and developers are chomping at the bit to turn our community into another Dublin, Powell, or Lewis Center. Harlem Township has a history of century farms and many families that had lived in the community for generations, some for centuries. With the Intel Plant on our doorstep, and large parcels of farmland going up for sale, the character of our township is in danger of drastic change. Obviously, many residents are very passionate about keeping away development, but we have to recognize that large parcels of farmland don’t necessarily appeal to individual buyers. The appointment of a strategic planning committee has helped, we need to pull in more of our residents for their input too.

“This leads to the second issue of concern, which is communication. Township officers serve the residents of the township. The residents vote the trustees into office because they trust them to represent them to the best of their ability. Harlem Township has an issue with notice to community members – whether it’s an important meeting, a zoning issue, or another concern that would interest residents. My wife has been a thorn in the side of the trustees about notice being published in The Delaware Gazette, instead of hanging pieces of paper on the back door of the firehouse. So, improving communication with residents is key to all of us surviving the growth that is heading our way.”

For more information, visit his Facebook page, William Bell for Trustee.

Matthew Jaeger

“As a Harlem Township native with strong family ties to our area going back 45 years, I care about the future of our community,” Jaeger told The Gazette. “For generations, Harlem Township has been a safe, comfortable and affordable place to live – and I want to keep it that way. I appreciate our township’s rural character and the resources enjoyed here for more than two centuries. If elected as trustee, I’ll use my background and experience to provide effective leadership founded on outreach and listing. Together with Harlem Township residents and local businesses, I will help ensure our community remains a great place to live.

“Following graduation from Northside Christian School in 2000, I attended Ohio University (OU) and enrolled in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). I earned my bachelor’s degree in Geographic Information Systems and received my commission through ROTC as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force (USAF). Through Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, I received aeronautical ratings in the T-6, T-1, KC-135, C-20 and C-37 aircraft. I honorably served 13 years in the USAF, ultimately achieving the rank of Major. During my service, I completed eight deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq and 228 combat missions. I also had the tremendous honor of piloting Air Force 2 and providing safe, reliable, worldwide airlift for national leaders and senior U.S. commanders. While serving in the USAF, I earned a master’s degree in environmental management. I am currently a pilot for a major U.S. airline and serve on the Aviation Safety Management Team.

“For the past two years I have been an active participant with the Harlem Township Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) and a member of the SPC’s Infrastructure Subcommittee. I’m honored to have the endorsement of Jerry Paul, who is stepping down after 40 years of public service as our Harlem Township Trustee.

“As communities surrounding Harlem Township evolve, we must be proactive in planning for our future in order to preserve Harlem Township’s beloved rural character and control our own destiny. Major projects nearby are already creating infrastructure challenges for Harlem Township, including how to route major transmission power lines through properties, and where to extend sewer lines throughout our township, and how to manage increased traffic on our township’s roadways. These issues and others are impacting our residents today and will continue to do so, which is why I believe it is imperative for our community to plan for these challenges right now. As Harlem Township Trustee, I will seek to utilize county, state and federal resources to develop a data-informed strategic plan that puts our community’s wishes first, while acknowledging potential impacts of external factors beyond our control. My work would start with gathering input from Harlem Township residents and businesses. I would also work to strengthen collaboration and communication with our local emergency service providers, Big Walnut Schools, township neighbors, government partners, and other local leaders.

“Additionally, if elected to serve as Harlem Township Trustee, I will prioritize preserving and improving essential township services for our residents, especially public safety and emergency services. With inflation hitting wallets hard, I would do everything in my power to maximize taxpayer resources and prioritize township needs over wants.”

For more information, visit www.JaegerForTrustee.com.

Harlem’s other trustees are David Jackson and Carl Richison.

Assistant Editor Gary Budzak covers the eastern half of Delaware County and surrounding areas. He may be reached at [email protected].