School board hopefuls report spending

The reelection campaigns for school board members Melinda Williams in Van Buren, and Matt Cooper in Findlay, are the top spenders so far in their respective races. Williams' campaign committee had spent $2,981 as of Thursday, according to a report filed with the Hancock County Board of Elections. Cooper's campaign committee had spent $2,905 as of Wednesday. Van Buren school candidates Williams' campaign had received $2,870 in contributions as of Thursday. Top contributors were: • Phyllis Williams, Hancock County Democratic Committee, and Jeff and Liz Adams of Grand Rapids, Michigan, $250 each; Pauline Persong, of Tipp City, $200; G. Williams, of Mansfield, Dolores Bado, of Streetsboro, and Kimberly Thomas, $150 each. • Rochelle Galiber, Nancy and Jeff Stephani, Mary Harshfield, Cathy Donovan, Eve Gray, and Joseph Kiggins, of Akron, $100 each. • Barbara Williamson, Heidi Mercer, Denise Woodward, Sarah Lindabury, Jole Stevens, Beverly Chicotel, John Kostyo, Kim Hiett, Catherine Ivancic, of Akron, Holly Dunn, of Toledo, Katherine Wilkins, of Columbia, Maryland, and Cecelia Carmen, of Lake in the Hills, Illinois, $50 each. Williams' campaign committee spent $1,612 for printing and mailing of postcards; $772 for billboards; $341 for yard signs; and $232 for printing of door hangers. Van Buren school board member Laura Ebright, running a largely self-financed campaign, reported $1,571 in in-kind contributions. Ebright contributed to her campaign postcards and postage, valued at $798; T-shirts, valued at $281; rental of a clubhouse, $250; and website platform services, $163. In-kind contributions of Facebook advertisements, valued at $78, were made to Ebright's campaign by Mariah Hohman, of Deshler. Van Buren school board member Andy Fisher's campaign received $940 in in-kind contributions: Fisher contributed signs, valued at $385; flyers, valued at $185; a website, valued at $160; and an open house at Lakeview Clubhouse, valued at $125. Mariah Hohman contributed Facebook ads, valued at $83. Findlay school candidates Cooper's campaign committee received $2,120 in contributions, plus a $2,750 loan from Cooper. The campaign $2,036 cash on hand Wednesday for the remaining days of the campaign. Contributions to Cooper's campaign committee were made by Teresa Rasmussen, $250; and Allison and Ryan Yeager, and Josh Eberle, $150 each. Contributions of $100 each were made by Jason Wolbers, Timothy and Katherine Peterkoski, Cathy and Doug McClain, Nancy Moody-Russo, Robin Cooper, Pam Hamlin, Jennifer Huelsman, Nikki Fort, Scott Emons and Sibbie Lowery, of Oak Island, North Carolina. A $72 contribution was made by Signed by Josette. Contributions of $50 each were made by Stacey Franks, Michael and Margaret Foster, Ralph and Vicky Monday, Cheryl and George Post, LM Ilg, Andrea Reinhart, Crystal Whipkey, Angela Ditman, Tiffany Holdgreve, Clifford Browne and Justin Gray. The Committee to Re-Elect Matt Cooper spent $2,655 on yard signs and postcards and $250 on food. Findlay school board candidate Patricia Klein received $2,445 in contributions and spent $1,530. She has a balance of $914 going into the final days of the campaign. Contributions to Klein's campaign were made by Ronald and Patricia Klein, $1,000; Richard Zatyko, of Willoughby, $750; Thomas Ross, Michael Barnhart, and Richard and Sharron Hillabrand, Corey Atchison, and Dennis and Sharon Putnam, $100 each; Kyle Starkey, $60; and Gary Berquist and Kraig Kutschbach, $50 each. Klein's committee spent $975 for signs and $555 for newspaper advertising. Liberty trustee Liberty Township trustee Jeff Hunker made $1,358 in in-kind contributions to his campaign for reelection. Hunker donated postcard stamps, valued at $794; postcards, valued at $443; labels for postcards, valued at $62; and decals and step stakes for campaign signs, valued at $59. 50 North 50 North is self-financing its campaign seeking voter approval to renew its 1.2-mill, five-year tax. The agency, which offers programs for those 50 years and older, has made the only contribution to its campaign committee: $6,438, a report filed with the Hancock County elections board states. All of the money has been spent, the campaign committee reported. Among the expenditures: $2,000 for billboards; $1,845 for yard signs; $1,100 for postage; $975 to print postcards; $283 for a Halloween parade float; and $165 to rent a booth at the Hancock County Fair. Wilin: 419-427-8413