Miami Twp. trustee to run for open county commission seat

Doug Barry, a Miami Twp. trustee and Dayton business owner, has joined what is shaping up to be a large field of Republicans seeking an open Montgomery County Commission seat.

With a theme, “Believe in Montgomery County,” Barry spoke to about 50 supporters Monday at BarryStaff, the staffing company where he has been president and owner for 18 years.

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Barry said his work in Miami Twp. has focused on building partnerships with the city of Miamisburg and area businesses to attract millions of dollars in investments in the area.

“We made a lot of differences down in Miami Twp., and we’ve brought a real business sense and business mind to the township,” he said. “I think we can do that with the Montgomery County Commission … Not running it essentially as a business, but start thinking like businesses do.”

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In addition to economic development and business expansion, Barry said he would work to get people fully employed.

“We have an underemployment problem in county now, which is different than unemployment,” he said. “We are going to put a plan in place to get more people working.”

Barry was appointed to the trustee’s position in 2014 and was elected in 2016.

He joins Bill DeFries, a Clayton businessman, in the race as well, as Bob Matthews, a former Miami Twp. trustee, who ran a close race in 2016 against current Montgomery County Commissioner Judy Dodge. Montgomery County Board of Elections records indicate Greg Hart of Oakwood and Joshua Smith of Dayton have also taken out petitions as Republicans.

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On the Democratic side, Montgomery County Treasurer Carolyn Rice announced her candidacy on Facebook earlier this month. Daryl Ward, senior pastor of Omega Baptist Church, said he is also running for the county commission seat. J. Anthony Williams of Dayton picked up petitions from the election board last week, signaling an intention to run for the four-year term that begins in January 2019.

MORE: Montgomery County Commission race: Dodge vs. Matthews

The multiple candidates would set up a May primary for each party.

The GOP has not held a county commission seat for about a dozen years. Democrat Dan Foley is stepping aside for a Statehouse bid.

Barry lives in Miami Twp. with his wife, Jessica, and their two teenage sons. He is a graduate of Ohio Northern University.

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