Osterloh
Steele
Clune
MINSTER — One of the most contested races on Nov. 7 is for the two seats on Minster Council. There are four people running for the positions.
Incumbents Nicole A. Clune, 52, of Minster, and Thomas Herkenhoff, 76, of Minster, are joined in the race by newcomers Joshua P. Osterloh, 40, of Minster, and Trey Steele, 40, of Minster.
Clune has been married for 23 years and has three sons. She has been on council since 2008.
Herkenhoff is semi-retired and works parttime for Brinkman Service Center doing accounting work. He is single and the father of four children and grandfather of four grandchildren.
Osterloh is a plant manager. He and his wife, Amanda, have two children, Ashlynn, 10, and Olivia, 9.
Steele is the director of sales for Eastern US/Europe for the Fry Steel Company. He and his wife, Jandie, have three children, Tripp, 7, Charleston, 4, and Ford, 2.
Prior experience:
Clune: “For over 29 years I have served the citizens of Ohio by working for the Ohio Department of Transportation and as a project consultant for counties and municipalities. My service to the Village of Minster is enhanced by what I’ve learned from working with many successful communities. As a licensed Professional Engineer and business owner, I am focused on public safety, fiscal responsibility, community development, and supporting our businesses.”
Herkenhoff: “Yes, I am an incumbent and I have been on council the past 28 years.”
Osterloh: “I manage a group of 40 employees at our family business. I currently review contracts and purchase orders for our projects. We are a supplier of bridges to the contractors in the field and deal with the state and government codes and rules. We also build large structural buildings for high-rise structures and deal with all the codes and regulations for the buildings being built.”
Steele: “I have held numerous leadership positions in large organizations where my responsibility was to take information, problems, and challenges and then provide robust solutions in an efficient, effective, and responsible way.”
Why are you running for office?
Herkenhoff: “I love this community and its residents and will continue to work for what is best for both.”
Osterloh: “I am running for Village Council to get the younger generation involved. Minster needs to have the resident’s best interest in mind with the future of the village being the most important to attract new residents and bring back the younger generation after they graduate college. Minster also needs to look at housing issues in order to draw new business to the village. Local companies are already having issues getting employees due to the fact of nowhere to live in the surrounding communities.”
Steele: “Minster is an amazing community, Simply put, I believe there are more efficient ways to achieve the same goal. I would like to offer a fresh set of eyes of perspective to our village and the goals we want to achieve. If I can offer even a small but meaningful impact to our village of Minster, that on its own would be worth the years of service should I be elected.”
Clune: “I feel called to serve our great community and be a part of keeping it strong and growing.”
What do you hope to accomplish if you are elected?
Osterloh: “Attract new business, housing, and better our parks for the community.”
Steele: “If elected to Minster Village Council, I aim to bring positive change and improvements to our community. My goals include enhancing local infrastructure for today and tomorrow, ensuring we are fiscally responsible while moving efficiently and responsibly as to mitigate increased costs, fostering a sense of unity among residents, and ensuring our village remains a safe and welcoming place for everyone. I’m committed to listening to the concerns and ideas of our community members and working collaboratively to make our village an even better place to live.”
Clune: “Minster is deserving of so much! Maintaining robust police, fire, and EMS departments is a vital part of safety for our community. Supporting existing businesses and providing opportunities for new businesses will enhance our tax and employment bases. I would like to continue to focus on quality-of-life improvements, with additional park enhancements, re-planting trees along our streets, and improving pedestrian connections through town and into our neighboring villages. I’d like to incentivize business development in our downtown to sustain it as a hub of the community.”
Herkenhoff: “Good decision making, and keeping an open mind.”
What do you feel needs to be done to make your council be more successful?
Steele: “People in a community want to be heard. When a community member presents a concern or a problem, let them know they are heard. Not all concerns possess a solution unfortunately, however empathy and understanding go a long way. As an elected member among your community we should not only listen, but be an advocate for positive change and results that could improve our community.”
Clune: “Born and raised in the suburbs of Cleveland, I have the benefit of discovering the Village of Minster after graduating from OSU in 1994. I could see what sets Minster apart from the rest – it is truly A Great Community. To continue this, we need to follow the lead of the village’s forefathers who built our community with vision and fearlessness.”
Osterloh: “Clear communication with the residents. More informative with what is going on currently and with the future of Minster in a timelier manner. Explain to the residents exactly what the solar fields do for the community and what it saves Minster financially in the long run.”
If elected, how will you open the lines of communication between yourself and the people you represent?
Clune: “I welcome all communication, including phone calls, random stops at the grocery store, or a request for a meeting. When a citizen is wanting to voice a concern or an idea, I believe that they are looking out for what is best for their neighbor and their community. It is our duty to listen with an open mind, for our decisions as council members should reflect the views of our citizens.”
Herkenoff: “I have always prided myself in being available to the public. This is a 24 hour a day commitment, 7 days a week.”
Osterloh: “If elected I would be willing to take anyone’s phone calls or emails to answer any questions and invite them to attend the meetings.”
Steele: “Transparency and accountability. All in our community want to understand why decisions are being made and what those decisions offer to improve them individually or collectively in their family and the village we love. We serve at the privilege of each community member and we should be sound in all decisions being made to ensure strong fiscal responsibility.
What challenges do you feel your village faces today and in the future?
Herkenoff: “Making sure that we continue to be fiscally responsible and we budget accordingly. Also that we provide the best city services and affordable utilities that the residents and businesses have grown to expect.”
Osterloh: “Minster is a great community and the people that run it do a great job but just like anything else there are different views of how things could be done and that is what I am hoping to bring to the table to listen to the residents and see what we can accomplish. I am very passionate about the future of Minster and look forward to being elected.”
Steele: “We need to be proactive in our approach to plan for tomorrow. Our ever-growing community needs to ensure we have the infrastructure in place to support that growth and the individuals and families that come with that growth.”
Clune: “One of our biggest challenges will be employment. This is already affecting our businesses: their successes result in growth, which is hindered when they cannot find reliable employees. I applaud our schools and the grassroots efforts by businesses to educate our children in hopes that they will stay local. The Village Council also has a role in this effort by making our community a desirable place to live and raise a family.”
Additional comments?
Clune: “It has been an honor to serve the village of Minster for the past 15 years. I believe that we still have work to do and hope that the community feels that I am the right person for the job.”
Herkenoff: “Finally, in my 28 years on council I’ve been fortunate to have worked with some great people in local government, administration and city services. Our village employees are both hard working and knowledgable. I grew up here, am a MHS graduate, a US Navy veteran and have spent all but 17 years of my life here. Minster is a Great Community and I hope to continue serving the village and its’ residents for the next four years.”
