Halleck, Rudibaugh earn trustee spots
By LARRY SHIELDS, Staff WriterPERRY TOWNSHIP - The trustee board will have a new member after voters elected Don Rudibaugh and returned Trustee Mike Halleck, while unseating incumbent Trustee Larry Parker in Tuesday's election.
There were three candidates running for two non-partisan seats.
According to complete but unofficial results from the Columbiana County Board of Elections Halleck won 2,400 votes (34.71 percent) while Rudibaugh recevied 2,307 votes (33.36 percent) and Parker, a trustee since 1998, collected 2,208 votes (31.93 percent) or 99 fewer than Rudibaugh.
Halleck, a former Columbiana County commissioner also served previously as a Perry Township trustee from 1987 to 1995 before being appointed county commissioner in 1994.
Halleck served there until 1999 when he ran for U.S. Congress in 2002 and lost.
He said it was an interesting race and thanked the Democrats who supported him.
"I've had a lot of Democrats helping me," he said, "I'm just grateful people over the years have supported me.
"I'll work hard for the township and the community to make it better."
Rudibaugh, a political newcomer, is a former bank vice president with 46 years in the banking industry.
The four-year terms begin on Jan. 1, 2010 and trustees are paid about $9,700. They also receive insurance coverage and fall under the Public Employee System Retirement (PERS).
"I applaud everyone who takes part in the process. We're fortunate people support us in the township," Halleck said.
