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Civilian contractor, stripped of council seat, wins in Huber Heights

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By Margo Rutledge Kissell, Staff Writer Updated 1:04 AM Thursday, November 5, 2009

HUBER HEIGHTS — Brian Walton, the former 3rd Ward city councilman who was replaced after he was sent to Iraq as a civilian contractor, was elected to the seat on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Walton defeated Tyler Starline, the man who was appointed to replace him, 808-262, according to final, unofficial results from the Montgomery County Board of Elections.

Starline, an attorney, was sworn in Aug. 24 to fill Walton’s unexpired term through the end of the year after the council declared his seat vacant after he missed three consecutive meetings.

City Attorney Alan Schaeffer said before the election that if Walton won, the council again would be faced with deciding whether to excuse his absences from council meetings or move to vacate the seat.

“No action can be taken until after the first of the year,” Anthony Rodgers, clerk of council, said Wednesday.

Walton and Starline could not be reached for comment.

Because his appointment to the position occurred after the deadline to file as a candidate for the Nov. 3 ballot, Starline had to file as a write-in candidate. Walton’s name appeared on the ballot.

Despite the challenges of being a write-in, Starline said Monday he felt confident he would be elected because of how he campaigned. He mailed literature to approximately 850 households of registered voters in the 3rd Ward. As he walked the neighborhoods, he handed out literature explaining his status as a write-in and the steps a voter would need to take on the electronic voting machines to vote for him. Voters would have to press a button and then use a keypad to type in his name.

“Technically it’s a misnomer. With the computer, it’s a type in,” he said, calling himself a “type-in candidate.”

Walton — who left in June for Iraq and said he expected to be gone a year — had been appointed to council last January when Seth Morgan was elected to the House of Representatives.

Now that he’s been elected by the voters, does that change things?

Rodgers didn’t want to speculate on what council members might do but said, “Certainly they would want to take that issue into account.”

Another factor is that Walton isn’t expected to be back until June, meaning that ward would not be represented for half a year, Rodgers said.

Walton, an employee of defense contractor QSL, had argued before he left that he should remain on council. Instead, the council decided that because he was deployed as a civilian, his status was not the same as that of a military service member.

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I live in Huber and I can say CONGRATS BRIAN. Although he is not in my ward, the people WANT him and unfortunatly we didn't have a lot of good choices in other wards because so many of the council members need to go and the city needs to be run by people who CARE about the city and not just themselves. If they vote him off again, "SHAME ON THEM" They will only destroy their own time in office. Thank You Brian for serving our Country. You are greatly appreciated just as everyone in our Military.

Huber Resident
9:51 AM, 11/18/2009

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Apparently the PEOPLE decided they would rather have Mr. Walton filling that seat. Which is evident from the results of the election.

Patriot
2:44 PM, 11/15/2009

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The sacrifices made by private contractors who go overseas to support our ACTIVE military is not really in question. However, nothing in state or federal law or the city charter allows any council member to unilaterally VACATE his/her seat for a year and thereby ABANDON the people he/she represents. Why should the citizens be FORCED to sacrifice their local representation just so one person can unilaterally take a new job overseas? The people DESERVE and are ENTITLED to local representation.

Council members should be here
11:10 AM, 11/15/2009

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Anyone questioning the intentions of someone VOLUNTEERING to deploy overseas as a civilian contractor is not appreciative of the sacrifices being made! As the spouse of a RETIRED military member serving overseas to support the troops and the mission of protecting and serving this country, I can tell you with great conviction, the civilians are dedicated to the cause! The accommodations are dismal, the food the same, and the work load is butt-kicking!! They are not complaining, nor should you!!!

Contractor's wife
8:51 PM, 11/13/2009

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You can search the DDN and Courier and see in Walton's own words that he actively SOUGHT to be deployed. Council probably took him at his word and his OATH to the community to fill the vacancy at least through December. As far as 75% of the vote, he was the only one on the ballot. 25% of the vote for a write in candidate with about a month to work to tell people that their old council member ditched them is a victory and shows that those who know he is gone want a representative on council.

Joe
6:39 PM, 11/5/2009

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