Three seats available for Perrysburg City Council

Oct. 30—Six people are jockeying for three seats up for election on Perrysburg City Council on Tuesday, including three incumbents.

Councilman Deborah Born, 59, is running for a second term as an independent.

On the council since 2018, she has chaired its recreation committee and served on the safety, service, and finance and economic development committee. Before that, she was on the city's parks and recreation advisory committee and the fire division strategic plan committee.

A city resident since 1975, Ms. Born is a businessperson, art dealer, and appraiser, who thinks taxpayer dollars should only be spent on basic services such as police and fire, roads, city infrastructure, water and sewer; and recreation, to a degree.

Kevin Fuller, 39, a union carpenter, is running for the council for the first time.

The Carpenters Local 351 business representative is a city resident and a Republican.

He currently is a trustee on the Local 351 executive board, where he is tasked with fraud detection and prevention, budget coordination, and management of the local's properties.

Mr. Fuller said his "professional skills, a fresh new viewpoint, and financially conservative leadership" qualify him for the job.

Councilman Mark Weber, 64, is a retired IBEW Local 8 electrician.

A 60-year city resident, he was first appointed to the council in 2019 to fill the term of State Rep. Haraz Ghanbari (R., Perrysburg) when the latter became the state representative.

In January, Mr. Weber was appointed to council a second time — to fill the seat vacated by Jim Matuszak, who was elected the Wood County recorder last year.

He said he is running because he thinks he can "provide a good balance to the city council" as a" lifelong resident with a blue collar background."

Dr. John Meier, 63, a Perrysburg resident and family physician, is running for an elected position for the first time. He is a registered Republican.

Employed by ProMedica Physicians in Perrysburg, the Archbold, Ohio, native also has been a board of directors member at Sauder Woodworking Co. since 2001.

Mr. Meier said he plans to capitalize on his "extensive" administrative experience. He dealt mostly with government regulation and compliance, he said.

Councilman Barry VanHoozen, 62, was elected to the city council in November, 2013.

Mr. VanHoozen currently chairs the safety committee and is a member of the public utilities and planning and zoning committees.

A Perrysburg resident since 1981, the small business owner served on the Perrysburg School Board from 2002 until 2013, when he joined the city council.

A longtime State Farm Insurance representative in Perrysburg, Mr. VanHoozen is also active in the local Chamber of Commerce and Rotary International.

Mr. VanHoozen did not return messages seeking comment.

Victor Senn is running for elected office for the first time.

Mr. Senn has lived in Perrysburg since 2018. He is a registered Democrat.

He is the associate director of leadership giving at Bowling Green State University, where he is tasked with fundraising and alumni engagement.

Mr. Senn told The Blade he is running because he wants "to be a voice to those who have long called Perrysburg home as long as for those who have just now planted or someday will plant their roots here" and "to bring together the historic aspects of Perrysburg with the exciting prospects of our future."