photo by: Joselyn King

Valley Grove poll workers Marti Starkey, left, and Randolph Stewart settle back during the last five minutes of Election Day on Tuesday.

VALLEY GROVE – It was municipal Election Day in the communities throughout the Northern Panhandle on Tuesday.

In Ohio County, seven people from among eight candidates were elected to Valley Grove Council, with a total of 30 residents casting ballots in the race.

The village voted from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., with three venerable poll workers present for the entire 13-hour proceedings – Marti Starkey, Donna McCave and Randolph Stewart.

Twenty-three ballots were cast on Election Day in Valley Grove, while the first seven were cast on early election days happening on the two Saturdays before the election.

“No, we weren’t busy,” Stewart said.

“We were not challenged,” Starkey added.

The three poll workers explained that throughout the day they passed the time playing games on their phones.

The seven elected to Valley Grove Council were Darlene Philabaum with 26 votes; Sheila Everhart, 24; Chad Kleeh, 22; DeNean Miller, 21; Tim Miller, 21; Gerry Trager Sr., 21; and Wendy Pearson, 16.

Finishing in eighth place was Steve Riggs with 14 votes.

Topping the ballot in West Liberty was a race for mayor between Dale Bloomfield and Cody Graham. Graham won the election after capturing 50 votes, while Bloomfield received 29.

There were only two names on the ballot for three seats on town council – Bob Fowler and Judy Barnes – but there were also a number of certified write-in candidates in the race.

In the end, Fowler was the top vote-getter with 56 votes. Also winning seats were write-in candidate James Comer, who received 53 votes, and write-in candidate Floyd Thompson, who had 36.

Barnes finished fourth with 21 votes.

In Brooke County, voters in Follansbee chose Scott McMahon, a former councilman, to serve as their mayor while also selecting new representatives of the 1st, 4th and 5th wards for City Council, while a majority of Wellsburg voters expressed their desire to have an elected police chief.

McMahon emerged the winner of the mayoral race, receiving 402 votes, while incumbent David Velegol Jr. received 170 votes.

All totals are unofficial until ballots are canvassed at 6 p.m. Monday.

Called for comment, McMahon said his win was “equal parts exciting and humbling. I had a lot of support from friends and family during my campaign. It makes you feel excited to get started in serving the citizens of Follansbee.”

McMahon said one of his first objectives in office will be assessing the city’s budget, including revenue and expenses, in an effort to address financial concerns that have been raised in recent years.

“I really want to work with the city manager and council as a team. We may not always agree, but if the end goal is the betterment of Follansbee, we’re doing our job.”

All of the contested council seats were filled with new faces.

Joe Kafton was elected to a council seat representing the 5th Ward, Rudy Cipriani was selected to represent the 4th Ward on council and Anthony D’Ulisse won the 1st Ward council seat.

Kafton received 112 votes while incumbent Wendy DeAngelis received 96.

Cipriani received 96 votes while Steve Varlas received 22.

Incumbent Frank Pedersen chose not to seek re-election to the 4th Ward seat.

And D’Ulisse received 47 votes, while incumbent Tammy Johnson received 14.

Follansbee voters also were surveyed about whether council members and other city officials should continue to hold two- or four-year terms. Placement of the issue on ballots was intended only to gauge public opinion and doesn’t bind council to citizens’ vote. A total of 358 voters supported keeping the two-year terms while 179 voters favored the longer terms.

Wellsburg voters were faced with their own issue: whether the city’s police chief should continue to be an elected office or become an appointed position. A total of 64 votes were cast in favor of amending the city charter to allow for an appointed chief while 77 votes were cast against it.

All totals are unofficial until ballots are canvassed on Monday.

City officials who supported an appointed chief said current chief Mike Allman was an experienced law enforcement officer when he ran for the office but future candidates might not have such qualifications. They suggested if the chief were appointed, council could ensure a qualified person fills the position.

Allman, who was unopposed in his bid for re-election, was a vocal opponent of the move, saying voters should have the right to choose a person they believe is best for the job.

Voters in Wellsburg’s 3rd Ward re-elected Tom Gaudio to represent them on council, while those in the 4th Ward selected newcomer Larry Swanson to serve them.

Gaudio received 69 votes, while his opponent, Jeff Hawkins received 12 votes.

Swanson, a local Realtor who has volunteered for groups formed to encourage development of the city’s downtown business district, received 20 votes, while incumbent Charlie Harris received seven votes.

Regardless of votes cast on Tuesday, Follansbee Council was destined to change in some way on July 1, when the city’s officials start their new terms.

That’s because 2nd Ward Councilman Charles McCoy opted not to seek re-election, allowing current Councilman at large John Casinelli to file, as an unopposed candidate for that council seat.

In addition, John Schwertfeger, a former Follansbee police chief, ran unopposed for the at large council seat.

Also unchallenged in Follansbee’s election were: City Clerk David Kurcina, City Attorney Michael Gaudio and City Police Chief Larry Rea.

Unchallenged in Wellsburg’s election were: 1st Ward Councilman Jack Kins, 2nd Ward Councilman Geno Capp and Mayor Dan Dudley.

Terms of winners in Wellsburg’s election also will start on July 1.

In Tyler County, five candidates out of the eight on the ballot for Middlebourne Council earned seats. Deanna Jones was the lead vote-getter with 45 votes, with Deanna “Did” Slider right behind with 44 votes. Bill Jenkins earned 42 votes, while Ben Thomas earned 37 and Patrick Rymer earned 34 to round out the new council. Justin Forrester finished with 29 votes, Patrick Shepherd finished with 16 and Rodney Henthorn finished with 14 to stay on the outside looking in. Dave Myers ran unopposed for Middlebourne mayor.

Madelyn Archer won overwhelmingly for Middlebourne recorder, beating opponent Angela Baker 51 votes to 8. The Middlebourne library levy also passed overwhelmingly 60-2.

Warren Scott contributed to this report.