By A. Kevin Corvo

At least one new member will join West Jefferson Village Council next year, as Ward 4 incumbent Howard Wade Jr. is stepping down and will not appear on the ballot in the nonpartisan Nov. 4 election.

The Ward 4 race is uncontested, guaranteeing that Karl Von Frybarger will win the seat.

Two incumbents are also unchallenged. Village Council President Jennifer Warner, representing Ward 3, has no opponent, and Ward 1 representative Samantha Cahill is also running unopposed.

The only contested race is in Ward 2, where Village Council Vice President Linda Hall faces challenger Greg Holben.

The three at-large members of West Jefferson Village Council — Eric Bogner, Jimmy Little, and Jeff Patterson — are mid-term and not up for election this cycle.

Hall, who retired from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, was first elected to council in 2018. She said she is seeking re-election “to keep West Jefferson the best town in America where young families want to stay and keep our traditions and our village alive.”

While working at the James Cancer Hospital at the Wexner Medical Center, Hall said she and her colleagues made a difference in people’s lives every day.

“Being on council has afforded me opportunities to continue helping others and that is important to me,” Hall said.

If re-elected, Hall said her goals include connecting with the next generation calling West Jefferson home.

“Older folks matter and I will be there for them, but my goal is to vote with the younger generation in mind so that they want to stay and make West Jefferson their home. I will do what I have always tried to do and that is to meet with people who have questions and ideas and to listen with their future in mind,” Hall said.

Hall identified maintaining the village’s borders and providing affordable housing as the biggest challenges facing West Jefferson in the near term.

“We need market-rate housing. As people upgrade to market-rate homes, they vacate older homes, and this will increase vacancies at lower prices and will help our first-time homebuyers,” Hall said.

West Jefferson also needs to maintain a balance between residential and commercial development, she said. Managing warehouse growth, Hall added, will provide enough income tax revenue to continue funding the village’s operating costs without raising taxes for residents.

Holben acknowledged a request from the Madison Messenger to discuss his campaign but did not reply by press time.