Troy council candidate’s petitions rejected; Westfall likely to get third seat

Oda, Lutz to battle for Troy mayor seat in May; no Democrats file to run for any of Troy positions
City of Troy 2023 mayoral candidates William Lutz and Robin Oda.

City of Troy 2023 mayoral candidates William Lutz and Robin Oda.

TROY — Voters in Troy will elect a mayor in May from two Republicans whose candidate petitions were certified Wednesday. But a possible contested race for three at-large city council seats was eliminated when one candidate’s petitions were rejected.

The Miami County Board of Elections set the stage for the primary during a special meeting to review petitions filed by the Feb. 1 deadline. Current Mayor Robin Oda, in her first term, and city Council President William “Bill” Lutz will be featured in the only contested political race on the ballot.

Four Republican candidates filed for council’s three-at large seats, but the board voted to deny the petitions filed by Paul Wick. Election administrators said Wick submitted 34 valid signatures of registered voters on his petitions when 50 signatures were required.

The other candidates who filed for at-large seats will be unopposed on the ballot. They are incumbents Todd Severt and Lynne Snee and newcomer Susan Westfall, whose husband, Wade Westfall, is a Miami County commissioner.

An attempt to contact Wick for comment was unsuccessful.

Petitions also were certified for the remaining Troy council seats along with city law director and auditor, all of whom are uncontested. The candidates, all Republicans, include Council President William Rozell, currently an at-large councilmember.

Others certified, all incumbents, were 1st Ward, Jeffrey Whidden; 2nd Ward, Kristie Marshall; 3rd Ward, Samuel Pierce; 4th Ward, Bobby Phillips; 5th Ward, William Twiss; 6th Ward, Jeffrey Schilling. Other candidates are Auditor John Frigge and Law Director Grant Kerber, both incumbents.

No Democrats filed for any of the seats listed above, meaning whoever advances from the Republican primaries in May will be unopposed in November, unless someone files as a write-in candidate.

Troy voters in May also will be asked to approve a natural gas aggregation proposal placed on the ballot by the city.

Also on the ballot will be a 1.5-mill, five-year levy request by Brown Twp. for current expenses. The levy was defeated by voters in November.

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