County councilwoman Mitchell tops two others in race for commissioner

On Tuesday, the gamble paid off when she defeated two candidates and won the Republican nomination for commissioner, a role that affords more policy-making decisions.

Mitchell won 47 percent of the vote, followed by Syracuse Town Council President Nate Scherer with 33 percent and Marcia Bumgartner with 17 percent.

“I wish Nate the best in trying to do something positive for his next step, and Marcia has been a great friend,” Mitchell said outside of Republican headquarters in Warsaw after final results were released.

In his campaign bid, Scherer was quickly endorsed by longtime commissioner Brad Jackson who announced plans to step down this winter.

But Mitchell eventually objected to what she called Scherer’s “vested interest” in a residential development plan for the old South Shore golf course south of Syracuse, which he has a stake in.

Syracuse Town Council is working to see the residential proposal flourish.

Earlier this year, attempts were made by some state lawmakers to change annexation law that would have allowed the town to annex the development property (for the sake of extending sewer service to the project) even though the town and property are not contiguously connected.

The legislative effort, though, died and the project remains in limbo.

Mitchell called out Scherer during the campaign for the circumstances, saying in a Times-Union campaign ad that she would “not ask the county for any help with any personal business” that would “put money in her pocket.”

On Tuesday, she said she thought voters heard her message.

“I think so,” she said.

As circumstances changed, she said, “I felt like a better position for me was to be a commissioner instead, having no guarantee that I was going to be able to win at all … But I so appreciate the voters and the fact that they still believe in me.”

If elected in November, she said she hopes to continue to revive the county’s long term strategic plan.

Two top issues she sees in the future involve county input for planning of the proposed revamping of US 30 and maintenance issues for county property.

The county has been using millions of dollars from federal covid money in the past year to catch up on numerous maintenance issues.

“County building maintenance … is something near and dear to my heart and that’s very important because we’re not going to have another $15 million in our lap in order to redo buildings,” she said. “That’s critical to me.”

She said Tuesday that her role, if she wins in November, will likely be her final elected position. “Yeah, I would say the commissioner’s position will be the last thing I will seek,” she said.

Tuesday night provided a moment of reflection for Mitchell who was a 25-year-old office worker for General Motors in Anderson when her husband suddenly died following open heart surgery.

She left Anderson to start a new life and arrived in North Webster  — a community where she knew nobody.

“I think today where I would have been if I would have stayed in Anderson and what a blessing it has been to live in Kosciusko County,” she said. “I am so blessed.”

Mitchell’s victory was one of four contested races for Republicans in Kosciusko County.

Other winners in the four races for county level contests were Matthew Buehler who defeated Jack Birch in an open race for Circuit Court. Buehler collected 54 percent of the votes compared to 45 percent for Birch in what turned out to be the closest competitive contest.

In the race for surveyor, James Moyer defeated Ryan Prince, gaining 66.5 percent of the vote.

In the race for coroner, incumbent Tyler Huffer topped Tracy Cutler-Wilson by a margin of 65-34.

GOP Chair Mike Ragan said he was pleased with the victories and the field of candidates Republicans put forth on the ballot.

Turnout for Tuesday’s primary, though, was light and hovered around just 20 percent.