Furek and Bell vie for commissioner seat in county's only contested race

ZANESVILLE − Democrat John Furek and Republican Melissa Bell are facing off for the Muskingum County commissioner seat being vacated by Jim Porter, who opted not to run again.

John Furek was born in Berwick, Pennsylvania. Following his high school graduation, he enlisted in the US Navy, serving in the nuclear power submarine force for six years.

He graduated from University of North Carolina at Asheville in 1978, majoring in German and English, later earning his master's degree in German and a teaching degree from Miami University.

Furek was hired by Tri-Valley Schools in 1984 to create a German language program. He also started a German program at Ohio University Zanesville in 1989. During his time at Tri-Valley High School, he founded the Tri-Valley RuriTeen Club, a community service youth group, and lead 18 study-abroad trips to Europe. He retired from Tri-Valley in 2014, and OU-Z in 2018.

He is a member of St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Dresden and Knights of Columbus.

"I’m not a politician, but rather a retired German teacher who has devoted his career to giving back to his community," he said. Furek said the county has "compassionate, hard-working residents who deserve to be treated equally and fairly. They deserve an elected official who will listen to their needs and provide them with a voice. I will listen to them, and I plan to provide that voice."

Bell works with her husband Matt on his family's farm, where she works on the financial and human resources side of the hog, corn and soybean operation north of Zanesville. She is the former director of membership outreach for the Ohio Pork Council and the former executive director of the Ohio FFA Foundation. She also worked at the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and is involved with 4-H locally.

Bell is a graduate of Otterbein College where she earned a master's degree in agricultural communication from The Ohio State University, and is pursuing her master's degree in agricultural education from OSU.

Bell said her experience running the financial side of a family farm will translate directly into the budget-balancing commissioners must do.

"I think it's really important that in the commissioner's office we have somebody that understands agriculture," she told the Times Recorder earlier this year.

"Agriculture continues to be the number one industry in our county and state, and having someone in the office that can understand, explain and identify with rural landowners and farmers is incredibly important in this community," she said.

How much of the cost of a potential new jail should county taxpayers be responsible for? If the county does not secure grants to help build a new jail, should the county proceed with the project?

Bell: The new jail project is a huge issue for the people of Muskingum County. Without question, based on the feasibility study conducted, the jail must be addressed to provide for the safety and well-being of the residents of this county and those that serve to protect our safety. The amount of grant money available will likely not be obtainable to every county that needs funding. However, that does not change the need in our county – and we will need to find a way to make the most strategic, affordable and cost-effective way to address the issue. If no grant money is available, the jail issue doesn’t disappear and we must decide how to best keep our county a safe and secure place to live, work and raise a family.

Furek: The parameters of the proposed jail have changed in the last two years. Since the Masonic Temple burned down two years ago, property has been made available next to the existing jail to allow for expansion at a much lower cost. It seems more logical to build an addition to the jail that would be more conducive to the existing jail than to build an entirely new structure. Building a new jail will come only at the expense of the taxpayers. Whether or not grant money is acquired, the ultimate result is that it will come out of the taxpayer’s pocket.

What are the two biggest challenges facing Muskingum County over the next five years? How would you as commissioner tackle the problems?

Bell: Our county has proven to be resilient and adaptable over the past years as we have dealt with issues and concerns never before experienced by our community. Moving forward, there are many issues that we need to address, not limited to one or two. The need for improved infrastructure, most specifically rural broadband needs, is at the forefront for our area. Rural broadband access leads to greater job growth, increased population growth, newer job formation and potentially higher property values for landowners. In addition, the expansion of the Intel project in our neighboring county, will have a tremendous impact on the growth and development of our county and its needs. From infrastructure to business growth, to housing needs, we must be prepared to proactively work to meet the ever-changing demands and pressures facing our county. Lastly, we must address the need for a comprehensive solution to the ever-growing drug epidemic in our area. This solution must address education, rehabilitation, and improved jail facilities for more housing and a safer environment.

Furek: The two biggest challenges that will face Muskingum County over the next five years are the extension of broadband and the building of affordable housing. While most of Muskingum County enjoys sufficient broadband access, many of the rural areas do not. The ones who are affected the most are our youth, those students who rely upon internet to complete their studies but don’t have the capacity to access it. This isn’t fair. If Spectrum is engaged to study the financial feasibility of expanding broadband, parameters need to be in place to assure that the rural areas be given priority. The commissioners can and should demand this.

The county is currently working on providing affordable housing but more needs to be done. Tax incentives to developers, again given with specific guidelines, can help with this.

The state is abuzz with conversation about the Intel project in Licking County. As commissioner, what would you do to take advantage of the proximity of this major project?

Bell: Intel will have a huge impact on our county moving forward as there will be great infrastructure, housing and business growth needs that must be addressed. As a county we must maximize our opportunities for this new growth and make proactive decisions about how we want to address these changes and opportunities. Reactive responses to the expected change will not allow our county to take full advantage of the possibilities that will be presented. As a county, we must utilize the power of local government to organize and collaborate with grassroots constituents to identify needs and problems, and then work together to find solutions while being fiscally responsible and forward thinking.

Furek: The influx of money through the development of Intel is not a given. Several years ago the county was abuzz with the idea that fracking would bring in jobs and money. That bubble was burst after just a few years. If Intel goes according to plan, Muskingum County could benefit from jobs, housing, and providing some raw materials. Zane State will more than likely create retraining classes to help retrain students to qualify for those jobs. Areas around the Rt 16 and I-70 corridors would be the places that should see the most to gain.

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Furek, Bell vie for commissioner seat in county's only contested race