By Jennifer Edwards
The Cincinnati Enquirer

FAIRFIELD - Prompted by recent controversies over flooding and other hot-button issues, an unusually high number of candidates - 12 - are running this fall for four City Council seats.

In the most crowded race in more than two decades, three incumbents, Jeffrey Holtegel, Steve Miller and Michael Snyder, face challenges on the Nov. 4 ballot from five opponents.

Four additional candidates are vying for the 3rd Ward seat being vacated by Councilman Ron D'Epifanio, who is term-limited after serving two, four-year terms.

Council members are paid $6,500 annually.

"The last year particularly has been a tough year for elected officials in Fairfield because of all the controversy surrounding all the decisions we have made," said Holtegel, who is being challenged by three opponents in the city's 2nd Ward.

"We have had a divided council on several items brought before us," he said. "Any time you have division and what appears to be indecisiveness you have a lot of people coming out second-guessing council's ultimate decision on a split vote."

Fairfield has grappled with an overwhelming public outcry over a proposed sludge pit near some of the city's most expensive homes, a stalled effort to revitalize its most heavily traveled and oldest business strip, Ohio 4, and an abrupt location decision for the new justice center at a site just outside Village Green, the new downtown.

Then, to top it off, June flash floods damaged about 100 homes in Fairfield and caused about $1.5 million in damage.

At least three first-time candidates, Ray McDaniel, Betty Kellum and Debbie Pennington, stress the city's flooding woes as chief concerns in their campaigns.

Pennington, who is running to represent the 3rd Ward, has lived on flood-prone Crystal Drive for 25 years. His home was damaged in June's floods and in 1979.

"I am a recurring flood victim," Pennington said. "But that's not the reason I ran. I pulled my petition before the flood. There's several things the city is facing right now. I just want to represent my hometown and give back to my community."

Another first-time candidate, Keith Davis, was a vocal opponent of the proposed sludge pit. He was prompted to run, he said, because he believes all citizens should take their turn in government.

Mitch Rhodus was the first to file his paperwork for the race, back in February, and now faces three opponents for the open 3rd Ward seat.

Rhodus, a member of the city's planning commission and parks and recreation board, jokes that if it weren't for the June floods, "I would have been uncontested."

"As you can see by my current involvement in the community activities, I have proven my commitment to Fairfield," Rhodus said. "Besides flooding, I want to continue on the path of creating a better place to live for all of us."

Two former council members are back: former mayor Robert Wolpert and Don Hassler. Both men ran unsuccessfully in 2001.

Wolpert did not return calls Tuesday and Wednesday for comment.

Hassler contends zoning code violations are becoming an increasing problem in the city, particularly the 2nd Ward.

Two former candidates also are returning: Marty Judd, who lost the 1999 race, and Charles Klosterman, who lost in 2001.

Judd said he is running in part to return teamwork to council.

"There hasn't been a lot of teamwork in recent years," he said. "It's very important the members of council work together with a common goal."

Klosterman is upset the city plans to relocate the justice center to a city-owned parcel that formerly held a Kroger shopping plaza. He hopes to change that.

The candidates

1st Ward: Incumbent Mike Snyder, 58, appointed July 2000, account manager at Convergys; Robert Wolpert, 57, owner of Hamilton Sign. Co., former mayor/councilman, 1983 to 2001.

2nd Ward: Eight-year incumbent Jeffrey Holtegel, 51, owner of Classic Coffee and Vending Co. and Village Green Coffee House, adjunct business instructor at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, member of city's planning commission; Don Hassler, 70, retired fire chief at Miami Valley Laboratories, former councilman - 1981 to 1989, 1991 to 1999; Marty Judd, 43; judicial bailiff for Butler County Common Pleas Court Juvenile Division, formerly served on the city's fair housing board and the parks and recreation board; Betty Kellum, 72, Realtor with Huff Realty, member of the city's planning commission.

3rd Ward: Keith Davis, 47, retired technical designer; Ray McDaniel, 65, retired Ohio Department on Transportation project inspector; Debbie Pennington, 49, a Realtor with Sibcy Cline Realty; Mitch Rhodus, 45, a regional vice president for Eskco Inc., a Dayton-based promotional marketing company, member of the city's planning commission and parks and recreation board.

4th Ward: Two-term incumbent Steve Miller, 37, senior claims representative for Cincinnati Insurance Co.; Charles Klosterman, 39, senior technical account manager for Sun Microsystems, Inc., member of the city's community reinvestment council (CRC).

E-mail: jedwards@enquirer.com.