Posey, Morris win Miami Twp. trustee race

Credit: Ty Greenlees

Credit: Ty Greenlees

Incumbents Terry Posey Jr. and John Morris have been re-elected to the Miami Twp. Board of Trustees, according to final, unofficial results published by the Montgomery County Board of Elections.

Results are considered unofficial because provisional ballots and late-arriving absentee ballots will be handled in the coming days.

Posey earned nearly 30%, of the vote and Morris was not far behind, with just over 26% of the vote. Challengers John Gomez and Bob Matthews trailed with nearly 24 and nearly 21%, respectively.

Posey was appointed as trustee in January 2020 to fill a vacant term that expires in 2022. Morris won his first term as trustee in 2017.

This is the first time Gomez has run for office. Matthews, a former Miami Twp. trustee, was first elected to the board of trustees in 2013, but resigned in March 2017 to avoid any potential conflict of interest once he started a position at a law firm.

Posey is a litigation partner with Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP. Morris is the CEO for Ohio Valley Construction Education Foundation and president of the Montgomery County Association of Township Officials. Gomez is a political consultant and works as a staff assistant for U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot. Matthews works in the health care industry.

Posey said he is glad that voters responded to an “issue-focused and experience-focused” campaign, he said.

“They elected the two candidates with the most experience and that really have a goal and background of working for the public and in the business community,” he said. “It’s nice to have a body of work and a professional background, and a community service-oriented background recognized by the community.”

Morris said he was “extraordinarily pleased” that the citizens of Miamisburg and Miami Twp. saw fit to re-elect Posey and himself to continue the work that they’ve been doing “to better the community.”

“We’re very excited about the opportunity that’s being offered to us and we’re going to take full advantage of the faith that has been granted to us,” he said.

Posey, during his campaign, emphasized maximizing American Rescue Plan Funds, which he said will allow the township to upgrade vital community services, and to assist businesses in bringing back jobs to reinvigorate the economy, he said.

He highlighted using the recently-created Community Innovation Fund designed to solicit community and business input on how best to use the American Rescue Plan funds, to leverage those one-time dollars with no local tax impact to the community.

Other priorities Posey outlined included ensuring the stability and success of the Dayton Mall area and revitalizing the township’s park system by improving access to them and updating them.

Morris ran for re-election with a top priority of “public safety through outstanding police and fire departments.”

He touted that during his first term, the board of trustees added more police officers and gave them body cameras and other equipment to better do their jobs. He also highlighted that in 2022, ongoing funding of the fire department will be a major discussion and negotiation between the township and the city of Miamisburg.

Morris also emphasized included ensuring parks are improved and more roads are repaved.

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