Stoker, Wong win West Chester trustee race

State jobless rate jumps to 10.5 percent
3:14 p.m.
Checkpoint tonight
2:04 p.m.
Man allegedly stabs self after fight with girlfriend
12:58 p.m.
Animal clinic collecting food to feed hungry family pets
12:37 p.m.
Holiday tree lighting tonight
12:25 p.m.
> More headlines

By Dave Greber, Staff Writer Updated 12:01 AM Wednesday, November 4, 2009

WEST CHESTER TWP. — Residents in West Chester Twp. returned incumbents Catherine Stoker and Lee Wong to the Board of Trustees Tuesday, Nov. 3. But their wins didn’t come without a fight.

Of the total 24,741 residents who cast a ballot in West Chester this year, Wong and Stoker received 23.55 percent — or 5,826 votes — and 20.57 percent — or 5,090 votes — respectively. Candidates Randy Stanifer and Chris Xeil Lyons both received more than 4,000 votes, according to final but unofficial results from the Butler County Board of Elections.

Stoker, one of Butler County’s longest-tenured local officials was elected to her fifth term Tuesday, while Wong will be seated next year for his second term.

They’ll be joining trustee George Lang when they’re seated in January. Lang is up for election in 2011.

Both Stoker and Wong attributed the crowded race as one of the contributing factors to their victories. “It’s very similar to our race last time,” Stoker said. “I said I needed about 20 percent of the vote to win, and that’s about what I received.

“I think it’s really about voters realizing that the township was in good shape and that they don’t want the leadership to change,” she added.

In addition to the nine-person race, Wong said he believes grassroots campaigning — more specifically, knocking on thousands of doors during the past six months — made him stand out above other candidates.

“By staying in touch with the residents, and listening to them, I’m bringing their agenda and not mine,” Wong said. “I really think West Chester is headed in the right direction.”

Stoker said she hopes to use the next four years to focus more efforts on redeveloping the U.S. 42 corridor. Shovels aren’t likely to start hitting the earth on that 3.5-mile expansion in the township’s eastern portion until 2011.

Stoker and Wong also said 2010 will be a critical year for the township’s police levy, which expired nearly two years ago. While trustees have maintained services, the discussion about whether to place a levy on the ballot is expected soon; and a 2010 ballot measure is a sincere possibility.

“If you delay it for another year, you’re going to have a (financial) gap there,” Wong said. “It must be done right. You cannot over-stretch it, and that’s because safety is No. 1 for residents.”

Share this article

ADD COMMENT

Comments feed

SOSO... give it up. Closed minds, or should I say mind.
Interesting that "maude" and "juneg" seem to comment within a few minutes of each other and have that same issues with proper grammer as well as hurl insults. There's a couple of old adages that come to mind but I'll leave it be. Probably the same person.

Old Timer
6:04 PM, 11/5/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Geez soso must be a moron, Slurry, now is Wong suppose to pave the roads himself,3 trustee's, maybe they can all go out a pour and drive to put slurry down.

juneg
9:10 AM, 11/5/2009

REPORT ABUSE

SOSO or SO SLOW, here are the facts, there are many residents who live from 747 to 75, don't you even think they have been driving for decades, again I REPEAT right near the high school, GREAT LOCATION.

Too Bad you most likely never went to any libarary meetings.

Two building makes no sense with limited dollars to operate

maude
9:06 AM, 11/5/2009

REPORT ABUSE

West Chester is hurting. I voted for Wong the first time but again. He is not making change.
West Chester does not have the money to maintain their roads. They are putting slurry coat down rather than re-paving because of lack of funds. Slurry coat is supposed to last 5 years, it doesn't, and cost $5,000 to do a mile. Re-paving costs $15,000 to do a mile and lasts 20 years.
250 miles of roads and only $120,000/year to spend on paving or slurry coating. Do the math, the ship is sinking.

SOSO
9:06 PM, 11/4/2009

REPORT ABUSE

MAUDE.
1 It is not "so so" it's "SOSO". There is a difference.
2 The move to it's new location was to make use of the TIF money from Union Center.
3 You're right, they are only building one. Why not leave both open to better serve West Chester as a whole. Still my choice for a second library would have been a different location closer to the residential area.
4 When my kids go to the library the whole family goes, and leaves together.
5 From your spelling, perhaps you do need it more.

SOSO
8:57 PM, 11/4/2009

REPORT ABUSE

There are 9 additional comments

SHOW ALL

We welcome your comments. Please remember this is a public forum and behave appropriately. Your comments must conform to our visitor's agreement.