SIDNEY — Three Republican candidates are seeking the nomination for the Jan. 2 Shelby County Commissioner seat during the March 19 Primary Election.

John Adams, of Sidney, Philip Barhorst, of Fort Loramie, and Mack A. Knupp, of Sidney, are vying to replace Tony Bornhorst, who is retiring from his commissioner seat at the end of his term.

Adams, 64, and his wife, Tara, have been married for 40 years and they have seven children and seven grandchildren. They attend Holy Angels Church. He graduated from Celina Senior High, ITT Technical Institute, and attended Mesa Community College. He served in the U.S. Navy on SEAL Team 3 from 1983-87. Returning to Ohio, they settled in Sidney where he learned the family business while also serving on several local boards. He was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives from 2007-14, with a 95% attendance record.

Barhorst, 66, and his wife, Anne, reside in Fort Loramie. He is a graduate of Anna High School and attended Northwestern Business College. For 30 years he has co-owned Ruhenkamp Boring & Trenching, a family business since 1928. He served nine years on the Fort Loramie Board of Education, three years on the Village Planning Commission and has decades of experience serving and partnering in the community. As a proven leader, he is eager to have the opportunity to use his passion, skills and experience to make a positive impact on Shelby County.

Knupp, 28, and his wife, Kaitlin, live on a family farm where they grain crops and a few sheep. He is currently serving his third term as the fiscal officer for Green Township. Before deciding to run for commissioner, he was employed by the Shelby County Highway Department for seven years. He is currently a board member of the Shelby Soil and Water Conservation District and a volunteer firefighter with the Fletcher Volunteer Fire Department. He also served as a past church trustee for six years at Greenview United Church of Christ.

Each candidate was sent a questionnaire about their candidacy for commissioner.

Why do you want to become a commissioner?

Adams: “If elected as your commissioner, I will use my experiences acquired when I was your state representative for 8 years. Each Ohio bi-annual budget affects our Shelby County budget. As a conservative, I have been endorsed by groups such as Ohio Farm Bureau, NRA, Ohio Right to Life, NFIB, and Ohio Chamber of Commerce. I am familiar with the budget process in Columbus, and I have the experience to work with our local agencies to achieve the best possible outcomes for our local budget.”

Barhorst: “The three current commissioners have done an outstanding job operating the many county entities. At the end of this year, we will be losing two thirds of that group. Though both new candidates have much to learn, I feel my strong leadership experience, business acumen, local community involvement and a history of good decision making will allow me, along with fellow commissioners, to make sound decisions.”

Knupp: “I want to become a county commissioner to continue to protect and grow the excellent agricultural heritage, the great workforce, and the outstanding industry that we have here in Shelby County. I want to build upon my knowledge of local government and broaden my impact from the 903 residents in Green Township to the 48,230 residents in Shelby County. I want to be a positive, young influence to the county and I want Shelby County to continue to be a great place to call home for our future generations.

What should Shelby County do to attract and retain more working-age adults to the county with crucial skills (electricians, mechanics, plumbers etc.)?

Barhorst: “First, we should work towards having more housing available. Affordable housing, at this time, has become somewhat difficult. As new housing is available and inhabited, it provides additional opportunities for other families. Secondly, we need to continue efforts in working with Workforce Partnership and Career Center programs, creating awareness and relationships between working-age adults and local businesses.”

Knupp: “In order to attract and retain more working age adults in the county, with crucial skills, I think Shelby County needs to increase access to affordable housing. Along with affordable housing comes the need for affordable and stable child care. If affordable housing and childcare are attainable, I think more people will want to live and work here in Shelby County. This is something I look forward to collaborating on with our local organizations who face these challenges daily knowing I can bring a new perspective to the conversation.”

Adams: “The taxpayers of Shelby County have invested in the programs for graduates to enter the workforce in these fields. At the state level there are programs within Ohio Means Jobs and Jobs Ohio. In the county, the Sidney-Shelby Economic Partnership (SSEP) is a gateway to assist on many levels, such as the Workforce Partnership program. SSEP brings government at the state and local levels together with the business community of our county, i.e. manufactures/agriculture, employers and our schools to help build and retain our job base through out the county.”

Where do renewables (nuclear, solar, wind etc.) fit into the future of Shelby County’s energy supply?

Knupp: “I think renewables have a time and place here in Shelby County, but not until they are sustainable and efficient. I feel solar panels can be implemented in a more sustainable location instead of destroying fertile farmland. There are plenty of roof tops throughout the county that could be utilized before chronically changing the makeup of our local farmland. It is to my knowledge that our area is not the most suitable for wind turbines and although nuclear energy is very efficient, there are safety concerns and more research needs to be done prior to making a decision of how either source could fit in Shelby County.”

Adams: “Renewables have certain applications but cannot meet the growing energy needs of our nation. I do support nuclear, but I do not foresee a nuclear plant being built in Shelby County. Solar removes valuable farmland from food production. I do not support solar and wind.”

Barhorst: “Presently, I do not see nuclear power as a viable option for Shelby County. Yes, solar could play a part, but may present some of the same issues as wind. “Not in My Backyard”. I understand we currently have some 50 Megawatt facilities, (50 Megawatt come under Commissioners jurisdiction) If less than 50 Megawatt facilities are installed, it is out of Commissioners jurisdiction, We need to work with Townships to have zoning requirements for this.”

What is the biggest challenge the residents of Shelby County face?

Adams: “The challenge we all face is that everything we purchase is expensive due to this inflation. Groceries, gasoline, any household item, property taxes, utilities and the cost of government services.”

Barhorst: “Today, drug and alcohol abuse are prominent issues. Both play a huge role in the home and workplace of our citizens and next generation. As a result, today’s society also has a higher percentage of single-parent households. This significantly impacts the wellbeing of our youth and Shelby County’s next generation, who are vital to our ongoing success in keeping Shelby County a great place to live and work.”

Knupp: “The biggest challenge that residents of Shelby County face today, I believe, is still recovering from the effects of the pandemic and subsequent high inflation. With the rise in interest rates and increasing property taxes in the county it has made housing less affordable. Inflation has increased the cost of everyday living and wages have not increased at the same rate to make up the difference making it more difficult for everyone to make ends meet. Along with everyday struggles, the county as a whole is seeing struggles with volunteer EMS. With my background I feel I can collaborate and help overcome these issues.”

How do you think you can change the way things operate in the county?

Barhorst: “The success of our past commissioners has realized over recent years, and may not warrant huge change for Shelby County. Instead, there are areas of refinement that should be evaluated. As a newly elected commissioner, I feel listening to and learning from the citizens of the county is vital. Effective leadership requires effective listening skills. Additionally, my partnership and relationships with our current Commissioner and area business and community leaders will serve me well in executing operational changes. Success is realized through the efforts of many, and not via any one person or leader.”

Knupp: “I don’t think I can change the way things operate in the county, as a single commissioner seat does not have the power to change things on its own. However, I believe coming in with an open mind, good collaboration and partnerships between the three commissioners and the different county departments is key for a successful government for the people. The commissioners must work together as a whole with the other elected officials and department administrators to collaborate for the common good of the county. I feel I can offer a new perspective on county operations and ideas for improvement.”

Adams: “As your commissioner, I will listen to the Shelby County residents and also the heads of each department. This includes the 14 townships, eight villages and one city in our county. We will work together to achieve goals and resolve situations that arise.”

What can the commissioners do to make childcare more affordable and accessible in the county?

Knupp: “Affordable and accessible childcare has been a major problem in the county in recent years. I know the current commissioners are working to utilize some of the current ARPA money to help secure more affordable and accessible childcare in Shelby County. Along with utilizing this resource, commissioners can research grants and other funding opportunities to help offset the cost of childcare making it more accessible to those who need it. While looking for other opportunities commissioners can collaborate with Job and Family Services to lobby for additional state funding to help make childcare more affordable and accessible in Shelby County.”

Adams: “The business community needs affordable child care and housing for their employees. We need both ‘for-profit and non-profit’ providers. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) issued $9.4 million in 2021 due to COVID. The county commissioners contracted with Shelby County Regional Planning to prioritized those dollars. Although the Shelby County YMCA has been a leader in child care for 40 years, the commissioners pledged $100,000 to the YMCA for their $3.5 million infant/toddler expansion. I would have voted for a much greater amount to help this expansion.”

Barhorst: “As a father and grandfather, I understand the difficulties associated with accessible and affordable childcare in Shelby County. With inflation, affordable childcare becomes a bigger challenge and issue. As the newly elected commissioner, I feel our first step toward improvement is to evaluate our county’s current childcare offering. Then, we need to look at efficient and effective ways to expand or adding new childcare programs. Without effective childcare programs, we regress into loss of workforce which easily results in many other challenges and issues for the communities of Shelby County.”

Other comments:

Adams: “First and foremost, ‘I will be a good steward of your tax dollars.’ As a fiscal conservative, I am aware that government will always be with us, and there is a balance regarding the money we take from taxpayers and the services we provide to them through the county. Transparency and fiscal accountability are paramount to me. I will oppose any Shelby County property being sold to Chinese foreign nationals. I look forward to serving the citizens of Shelby County if elected.”

Barhorst: “Born and Raised in Shelby County, I feel my business experience will help me make good sound decisions for the people of Shelby County. Having had the opportunity to have lived away from the area on a couple occasions has made be realize what a great area we all live in. My hope is do always base my decisions on what is in the best interest of Shelby County’s 49,000 citizens. Please vote on March 19th. It’s important.’

Knupp: “I hope to bring a younger perspective to a commissioner seat. I feel it is vital that my generation start to step up in all forms of local government. I look forward to combining my farm background with my township fiscal officer experience to best serve Shelby County. I look forward to talking with all of you.”