ELLSWORTH TOWNSHIP — Four people are running to fill two open seats as Ellsworth Township trustee, including two incumbents.

The candidates who responded to a Vindicator request for information about their campaigns said their top priorities as township trustee will be fire and emergency medical services and the importance of good management of township funds.

Another recurring theme was maintaining the rural nature of the township.

The two incumbent trustees, Robert Toman, 65, and Frederick Houston, 75, who have both been in office since 2014, and first-time trustee candidate Paula L. Hendricks-Richards, 57, all placed fire and EMS services as their first or second highest priority.

First-time trustee candidate Brian Blevins, 44, touted the importance of fiscal responsibility.

ROBERT TOMAN

Toman, who owns the Ace Hardware in Ellsworth and formerly owned the Country Pantry store in Ellsworth, called fiscal responsibility the most important, saying, “Transparent use of taxpayers’ money is essential as well as long-term planning for infrastructure and services. Many long-term, costly improvements and property acquisitions have been made during my tenure, all are paid in full.

“Our largest expenditure is our Fire / EMS Department. I prioritize keeping it reliably available to our residents in their time of need, in a cost-effective manner,” he said.

Toman has also made it his job to “keep the public informed,” saying, “For nearly a decade I created, maintained and managed a crime watch page on Facebook, ‘Western Mahoning County Crime Reporter.'” He also maintains a website called “Everything Ellsworth, Ohio,” and a township Instagram page and the www.ellsworth.ohio.com website. He also manages an electronic marquee on state Route 45 devoted to “get the word out for those not on social media.”

Toman says the websites notify people of crashes, road closures, burglaries, suspicious behavior, and keep people informed about meetings and public events.

He said his third priority is to “maintain our way of life, in the best community in Mahoning County. He said the township “has a strong rural identity built on hard work and neighborly values. I believe it is important that we preserve that … and keep our open spaces.”

Toman graduated from Ursuline High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement administration from Youngstown State University.

FREDERICK HOUSTON

Houston has “been a part of Ellsworth since a very early age;” he has “farmed most of my life but also had to work off the farm.” An Austintown Fitch graduate, he spent weekends and summers with Milo and Katheryne Wilson at their home “across from where Ellsworth Elementary School once stood.” He attended YSU for two quarters.

He worked at Wean Industries for 25 years and owned Grinding Equipment & Machinery 16 years. He is now retired.

His first priority as trustee is fire and EMS, saying, “Since the residents gave us a levy to support Fire and EMS, we are striving to have a true 24/7 coverage,” he said.

“That has become difficult due to the fact that so many other departments are trying to do the same. There are only so many medical and fire personnel available. I am doing everything possible to reach the goal of 24/7 coverage. We have started paying the people that stay with us an extra incentive.”

His second priority is to “make sure that we get the most out of every tax dollar we spend. We work from a very detailed budget, which all departments have their input on.”

His third priority is “Listen to the residents. My views on solar farms are somewhat different than what the residents have relayed to us. I set my personal feelings aside and do what the majority of residents want.”

PAULA HENDRICKS RICHARDS

Hendricks-Richards says her first priority is supporting fire and EMS.

“I want to work with our other trustees to maintain Ellsworth’s rural character and to prevent rapid growth and shrinking lot sizes. I want to help protect our residents from urban landscapes created in our rural community.”

She added, “My top priorities are to preserve the rural character of Ellsworth Township and to keep the wide open spaces and large lot sizes the township is known for and the residents have come to expect. I will work to preserve family farms and open farm land and work to protect the community from rapid growth.”

She said she is “dedicated to working with our community to maintain our agricultural / residential based township. Ellsworth residents have come to enjoy a quiet, peaceful community in a rural setting. I am committed to helping landowners keep family farms in the hands of people who wish to continue farming.

“I will work to protect the community from rapid growth. I am a lifelong resident who is devoted to maintaining the rural character of our township,” he said.

“I have over 26 years experience working in an office setting. I grew up around agriculture and have been on my property since 1998, with over 27 years running the farm,” she stated.

“I have put my Ohio Real Estate License on deposit with the state so I can concentrate fully on the job of township trustee with zero conflict of interest. I have had my commission to practice as notary public for the State of Ohio since 1992.”

She earned an associates degree in business management and accounting from ITT Technical Institute.

BRIAN BLEVINS

Brian Blevins originally did not respond to a Vindicator request for information about his campaign but did respond after seeing a Vindicator article last week about the three other candidates.

Blevins, who has been a firefighter / paramedic since 2021 at the Ellsworth and Canfield fire departments and Life Fleet and Lane ambulance services, also has worked as a real estate agent / team leader since August 2017, he stated in the materials he provided.

His statements were in agreement with the three other candidates in that he feels that fiscal responsibility should be among first or second highest priorities of an Ellsworth Township trustee. He said it is a high priority especially because of the “huge increases in property taxes; the township needs to be very responsible with funds that are available so that they do not have to ask the residents for any levy that will increase that burden even more.”

Another part of fiscal responsibility is focusing on “thoughtful growth in our commercial area around (U.S. Route) 224 and (state Route) 45 to encourage some potential new businesses and some growth to increase housing to help alleviate the tax burden on our current residents,” he said.

Regarding the township park, Blevins would like to find grants to improve the baseball fields, children’s playground areas and make the baseball fields “more accessible to everyone, including the potential of walking paths around the fields.” He said another type of grant the township should try to get are ones that improve buildings and roads and “make the infrastructure more feasible for our commercial areas of the town.”

Ellsworth trustee candidate profiles

Voters in Ellsworth Township are electing two trustees in this fall’s election. An asterisk indicates the candidate is an incumbent:

Brian Blevins

Brian Blevins

AGE: 44

PRIOR ELECTED OFFICES: None

PRIORITIES: His first priority is fiscal responsibility, “especially with all the talk of property taxes and what the state may decide to do” about them, he said.

His second highest priority is seeking grants to “make our park area more inviting and conducive to all residents.”

His third highest priority is “focusing on the residents of Ellsworth and making all voices heard. The younger generations must become more involved and know that Ellsworth trustees are wanting, willing and able to listen and give a fresh perspective on all aspects of the township. All residents have voices. Being a leader that listens to and provides a path forward is important, whether it be taxes, growth, fire and emergency medical services, cemetery upkeep or simply just preserving the rural community of Ellsworth, being that listening ear is what I plan to be.”

Robert Toman*

AGE: 65

PRIOR ELECTED OFFICES: Toman has been an Ellsworth Township trustee since 2014.

3 PRIORITIES:

His first priority is fiscal responsibility, “maintaining a balanced budget and public safety.”

His second priority is keeping the public informed. “For nearly a decade I created, maintained and managed a crime watch page on Facebook, ‘Western Mahoning County Crime Reporter.'” He also maintains a website called “Everything Ellsworth, Ohio,” an Instagram page, the www.ellsworthohio.com website and manages an electronic marquee on state Route 45.

His third priority is to “maintain our current way of life, the best community in Mahoning County,” which has “a strong rural identity built on hard work and neighborly values,” he stated in materials he provided for this story.

Fredrick M. Houston*

AGE: 75

PRIOR ELECTED OFFICES: Houston has been an Ellsworth Township trustee since 2014 and served as a Western Reserve Local Schools board member for 12 years starting in 1980. He has lived at his home in North Jackson for 53 years.

3 PRIORITIES:

His first priority is fire and emergency medical services for the township. “Since the residents gave us a levy to support Fire and EMS, we are striving to have a true 24/7 coverage,” he said.

His second priority is to “make sure that we get the most out of every tax dollar we spend.”

His third priority is to “listen to the residents. My views on solar farms are somewhat different than what the residents have relayed to us. I set my personal feelings aside and do what the majority of the residents want.”

Paula L. Hendricks-

Richards

AGE: 57

PRIOR ELECTED OFFICES: She has never held an elected office but lost in 2011 in the race to be township fiscal officer.

3 PRIORITIES:

Her first priority is supporting the Ellsworth Fire Department in its firefighting and emergency medical services, she told The Vindicator.

Her second goal is working with the other trustees “to maintain Ellsworth’s rural character and to prevent rapid growth and shrinking lot sizes.”

She added, “I am committed to helping landowners keep family farms in the hands of people who wish to continue farming.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was updated at 2:53 p.m. Oct. 20 to include candidate information on Brian Blevins.)