Hudson has two challengers

None of the Republican candidates for the commissioner seat have ever run for public office before — even though one of them is the incumbent.

Barry Hudson, Caleb Lutes and Chad Aker are seeking the nomination for the middle district commissioner seat in the upcoming primary election.

Hudson currently holds the seat, but hasn’t even been in office for one year yet. He was selected for the position from a group of six, which included Lutes, by a Republican caucus in May after Doug Inman resigned. Aker’s cousin, Brian Aker, is the only candidate running for the Democratic nomination.

Hudson is a seventh-generation Portland resident and has lived in Jay County most of his life. He graduated from Portland High School in 1958, attended Butler University for two years and worked for 10 years at Mutual Security, his family’s business. After living in Michigan for 10 years working in the banking and real estate industries, he returned to Jay County in 1981 to serve as chief of First National Bank, a job he retired from in 2005. He has remained involved in real estate ever since.

Chad Aker works full-time as a firefighter for Portland Fire Department and part-time for Jay County Highway Department, along with running his own home inspection business. He’s lived in Jay County his whole life, having graduated from Jay County High School. Prior to his firefighting career, Aker earned an associate’s degree in electronics engineering from ITT Technical Institute. He also spent two years as fire chief, taking the position after his brother, Matt Aker, was killed in a motorcycle accident in 2011.

Lutes also has his own business, Lutes and Sons Septic Service. He graduated from Jay County High School and went to University of Northwestern Ohio for an associate’s degree in applied science. Lutes had originally filed to run for Jay County Council district three seat against Faron Parr, but then decided to go all-in for his first run for office.

“I had several people tell me, ‘Well, get your feet wet, then you can move up,’” Lutes said. “I don’t feel any type of elected position should be a stepping stone for the next, especially in a small community. … It’s an election, everybody has the same opportunity.”

All three candidates agree that flood mitigation is one of the county’s top priorities. Lutes said there have been too many studies with too few results.

There is no quick and easy solution, but something needs to be done, he said.

“I’m not an engineer, that’s what we’ve paid these companies to come in and evaluate the situation,” Lutes said. “And it seems at times it keeps falling on deaf ears and they just keep grasping at straws.”

Aker also said that progress is going slowly. Working with the Army Corps of Engineers is a good start, he said, but there has been little action.

While the process may be slow, Hudson said ultimately the outcome will be good for the county. So far the collaboration with the Corps has gone well, he said, and he has high hopes for the future.

Another issue the commissioners have dealt with is the recently constructed and proposed wind farms in the county. Bluff Point Wind Energy Center opened last year, and commissioners recently heard a proposal for a different company to build a wind farm in Jefferson and Richland townships.

These wind farms are a boon for the county, Hudson said, even with the frustrations that come with them.

“It’s going to bring in a million dollars in development, it’s brought in income to farmers,” Hudson said. “I know there’s been a lot of road problems but they’ve guaranteed us and there’s money set aside to improve the roads. They should be better than what they were to start with.”

Aker knows first-hand how damaged the roads are with his job at the highway department. Still, the added income of the farms outweighs the cons, he said. Both Hudson and Aker support the idea of a new wind farm.

But Lutes is still wary of the drawbacks. He said he understands the complaints of local residents and wouldn’t want a turbine in his own backyard. He is not particularly in favor of another wind farm, but supports helping the economy grow in other ways.

“We need to be able to produce jobs that the not necessarily college graduates are wanting to stay for — the high school graduates, tech school graduates,” Lutes said. “In order to survive as a county we’re going to need to find a way to keep the younger generation here.”

Another issue Lutes would address as a commissioner is the drug problem in the area. He said he would support local law enforcement and help them get the money they need to be more effective in the fight against drugs.

Both Lutes and Aker pointed to their experience in public service as a benefit in the talks about school safety in the county. Lutes worked as a sheriff’s deputy for almost five years, and Aker said his experience as a firefighter and his involvement with the school would give him a unique perspective. He coaches junior varsity softball at the high school.

“I’ve actually taken part of a lot of their active shooter drills … I’m trained in medical, I’m trained in firefighting,” Aker said. “I really like having the resource officers out there … I think the students are pretty comfortable with them out there and I think it’s a great thing.”

Jay Schools Superintendent Jeremy Gulley and the school board are doing a good job with the schools, Hudson said, and right now the county should worry more about protecting other vulnerable areas, such as the Jay County Courthouse.

­“We’re going to have to be discussing four entryways in the freely accessible courthouse,” Hudson said. “And how to protect the folks that are in that building because with courts being there we have a lot of responsibility.”

Another issue pertaining to county employees is their insurance, Hudson said. He said one of the focuses for commissioners this year is to seek out another insurance company and consult the city and other counties for recommendations.

Hudson also plans to focus on fixing issues with the regional sewer district and figuring out how traffic on U.S. 27 (Meridian Street) is affecting pedestrian traffic downtown.

This past year in office has been enjoyable, Hudson said. He’s always liked working with other people and crunching numbers, and decided to run for position because he thinks he has the experience and ability to help with issues in the county.

Fixing the insurance problem for county employees is something Aker has on his list of priorities. The current set-up is unacceptable, he said.

“I know firsthand there’s employees that 40 percent of their paycheck right from the top is taken out for insurance,” Aker said. “There’s no reason the county can’t work hand in hand with the city and even some of the other cities, such as Dunkirk … and work together to get an insurance plan that’s going to be beneficial to everybody.”

Other potential projects include a focus on fixing up the gravel roads in the county. He would have a goal of chip and sealing or paving up to five miles a year, depending on budgetary restrictions.

He says he is more of the “common man,” having had a job since he delivered newspapers when he was in sixth grade. He decided to run because he thinks he can make a difference for both citizens and employees of Jay County.

“I can relate to the struggles of the common person that is living paycheck to paycheck, that has to be late on a payment because you have to make another payment,” Aker said. “I recognize the struggles of people and I can sympathize with them, I’ve been there.”

Lutes has always been interested in politics, but has no intention of being a career politician. Right now his business and his kids are young, and he wants to give back to the community while he still has time.

“If you can leave something better than the day you took it then you’ve done something good, and that’s what I’m trying to do,” Lutes said. “At the end of the day everybody deserves to have a voice, everybody deserves to be heard. Everybody deserves to be treated fairly.”