Howland trustee retains his seat

Incumbents in Weathersfield and Liberty were unable to retain their four-year seats.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HOWLAND -- It wasn't much of a race among trustee candidates in Howland, as Rick G. Clark walked away with almost 57 percent of the vote.
His next closest competitor, Bill Jobe, garnered only a little more than 20 percent. The incumbent also soundly defeated challengers Larry Sudano, John F. McCloskey and Harold Snyder to win another four-year term.
Things proved a little more heated in Weathersfield Township, as James W. Price lost his seat to challenger John W. Vogel. Vogel finished the night with more than 42 percent of the vote, while Price got almost 30 percent. George F. Buccella, who rounded out the ballot, earned a little more than 27 percent.
In Liberty Township, Trustee Patrick F. Durina lost by more than 700 votes to challenger Jodi K. Stoyak, who ran an old-fashioned, door-to-door campaign. Stoyak got 63 percent of the votes to Durina's 37 percent.
Other winners
Winners in other contested trustee races were:
UJeffrey A. Bates in Bazetta Township, with 54 percent of the votes over incumbent Marc Arnal.
UJohn H. Beran in Bloomfield retained his seat with 68 percent against Roger M. Peterson.
UIncumbent Dennis Kuchta in Braceville, who defeated Willene Hale with 73 percent of the votes.
UAndrew Robert Holko III in Bristol, who got almost 43 percent of the votes to retain his seat against challengers Dan Gwinn and Gary L. Peterson Sr.
UTimothy L. Downs in Champion, who defeated incumbent Nancy L. Shafer with 52 percent of the votes.
UPaul E. Klouda in Farmington, who retained his seat by defeating Nicholas Belden by 43 votes and Josephine Gause by 58 votes.
UAlbert E. Crabbs in Fowler, who got 44 percent of the votes to defeat Robert J. Czako, incumbent John T. Gallatin and Rae L. Winfield.
UIncumbent Robert S. Phillips in Gustavus, who got 77 percent of the votes compared to Mark A. Losh's 23 percent.
UDavis Denman in Johnston, whose 48 percent garnered him the win over fellow newcomers Kathy E. Gaylog and David W. Giaurtis.
UThomas M. Gladd in Mecca, who won against John Smith and Richard Talley with more than 42 percent of the votes to retain his seat.
UIncumbent John J. Pavlic in Mesopotamia, who had 65 percent of the votes compared to Donald A. Cunningham's 35 percent.
UJohn Nemet in Newton Township, who defeated Mildred Antolini, Susan D. Montgomery and incumbent George J. Prelac with more than 35 percent of the votes.
USam Plott in Southington, who got 66 percent of the votes against fellow newcomer George W. Kirk.
UJeffrey E. Dreves in Vienna, whose 32 percent allowed him to beat Robert M. Halavick, Phil Pegg and Shirley A. Wittenauer. All were newcomers to the race.
UIncumbent Terry Ambrose in Warren Township, who defeated Ralph W. Jones with 63 percent of the votes.
slshaulis@vindy.com