January 10, 2019 at 5:47 p.m.
Three file for Dunkirk mayor
Ritter to seek re-election; Robbins, Rollins vying for Democrat nomination
Three file for Dunkirk mayor
One candidate announced ahead of time that he would be running for mayor of Portland.
After the first day of election filing at Jay County Courthouse, the Dunkirk mayoral race already has three contenders.
Mayor Gene Ritter, a Republican, made official Wednesday that he will be running for a second term in office while Democrats Jack Robbins and Sandra (Lawhorn) Rollins both hope to be on the ballot against him in November.
Ritter will be seeking his second term in office after defeating incumbent Democrat Dan Watson in the 2015 general election. He had lost to Watson in the general election four years earlier.
Robbins is making his run for mayor as he completes his second term as a member of Dunkirk City Council. He was uncontested in his run for council in 2015.
“I think I’ve been there long enough. I’ve seen what council does,” said Robbins, 64, a 1973 graduate of Dunkirk High School. “I’ve been involved in most of the stuff that happens in Dunkirk and I think I can take it in the right direction.”
Robbins is a retired laborer who worked for Baystone Construction in Muncie, Ferkler Construction in Indianapolis and Manor Brothers Construction in Eaton. He also owned his own concrete business for 25 years.
In addition to his work on council, he also serves on the Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation Board and has been the city’s health and safety officer, zoning administrator and blight elimination administrator. He has been the caretaker for Dunkirk’s I.O.O.F. Cemetery since 2006.
Robbins said there are already positive things happening in Dunkirk and that if elected mayor he would support private-sector efforts to improve the community. He added that he wants to work with existing Dunkirk industries to help draw new tenants to the city’s industrial park.
After the first day of election filing at Jay County Courthouse, the Dunkirk mayoral race already has three contenders.
Mayor Gene Ritter, a Republican, made official Wednesday that he will be running for a second term in office while Democrats Jack Robbins and Sandra (Lawhorn) Rollins both hope to be on the ballot against him in November.
Ritter will be seeking his second term in office after defeating incumbent Democrat Dan Watson in the 2015 general election. He had lost to Watson in the general election four years earlier.
Robbins is making his run for mayor as he completes his second term as a member of Dunkirk City Council. He was uncontested in his run for council in 2015.
“I think I’ve been there long enough. I’ve seen what council does,” said Robbins, 64, a 1973 graduate of Dunkirk High School. “I’ve been involved in most of the stuff that happens in Dunkirk and I think I can take it in the right direction.”
Robbins is a retired laborer who worked for Baystone Construction in Muncie, Ferkler Construction in Indianapolis and Manor Brothers Construction in Eaton. He also owned his own concrete business for 25 years.
In addition to his work on council, he also serves on the Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation Board and has been the city’s health and safety officer, zoning administrator and blight elimination administrator. He has been the caretaker for Dunkirk’s I.O.O.F. Cemetery since 2006.
Robbins said there are already positive things happening in Dunkirk and that if elected mayor he would support private-sector efforts to improve the community. He added that he wants to work with existing Dunkirk industries to help draw new tenants to the city’s industrial park.
“We’ve got it turned now,” said Robbins. “I think if we can keep going in the same direction, Dunkirk is going to be all right.”
Rollins will be making her first run for elected office. According to her Facebook page, she is a 1979 graduate of Jay County High School who had a 38-year career at Ardagh.
Ritter and Rollins did not return phone calls seeking comment about their candidacy.
Several candidates who had previously indicated they would be running for office also filed Wednesday, including Republican John Boggs for mayor of Portland. Others were Portland City Court Judge Donald Gillespie, a Republican, and Portland clerk-treasurer Lori Aker Ferguson.
Three incumbent Republican Portland City Council members — Don Gillespie, Kent McClung and Janet Powers — also filed to run for re-election. And Republican Steven McIntosh filed to seek the Portland City County District 3 seat currently held by Republican Michele Brewster.
Rollins will be making her first run for elected office. According to her Facebook page, she is a 1979 graduate of Jay County High School who had a 38-year career at Ardagh.
Ritter and Rollins did not return phone calls seeking comment about their candidacy.
Several candidates who had previously indicated they would be running for office also filed Wednesday, including Republican John Boggs for mayor of Portland. Others were Portland City Court Judge Donald Gillespie, a Republican, and Portland clerk-treasurer Lori Aker Ferguson.
Three incumbent Republican Portland City Council members — Don Gillespie, Kent McClung and Janet Powers — also filed to run for re-election. And Republican Steven McIntosh filed to seek the Portland City County District 3 seat currently held by Republican Michele Brewster.
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