The GOP, choosing from 16 people interested in serving on the panel if voters approve it in November, voted to back seven — with at least a two-thirds majority — in its first round of voting.
They are:
James F. Bednar, a Lititz financial planner and former chairman of the county GOP. He was nominated from the floor.
Lowell Fry, a Rapho Township farmer and vice president of agriculture lending at Fulton Bank. He also serves as a township supervisor.
James Huber, a Manor Township anti-Wal-Mart activist and former county commissioner.
Don Ranck, a Paradise Township farmer, zoning hearing board member and one-time county commissioner hopeful. He was nominated from the floor.
Greg Sahd, an investment banker from Manheim Township and former county treasurer who ran a brief campaign for lieutenant governor earlier this year.
Paul Thibault, a former county commissioner from Lancaster Township.
Shane Weaver, a petroleum company manager from Lititz and member of the zoning hearing board,
On the third ballot, the GOP backed:
John Blowers, an East Lampeter Township businessman.
Bill Hecker, a former Ephrata Borough councilman.
Those who unsuccessfully sought the GOP endorsement are James Clark, Larry Gallagher, Steve Mentzer, James Miller, Thomas LeCrone, Art Mann and Joyce Moyer.
A November ballot question will ask voters if they want to create an 11-member commission that would study the adoption of an “optional form of government” for the county or a “home rule charter” and then recommend one or the other, if appropriate.
A second question, which will count only if the first is approved, will ask voters to choose 11 people to serve on the board. An approved study commission would have nine months to review the county’s structure of government. If it determined changes are needed, it would have another nine months to design those changes.
In a separate move Tuesday night, the GOP unanimously approved a resolution calling on state-level campaign committees — ones such as the House Republican Campaign Committee — to abstain from supporting candidates not endorsed by the local party.
Specifically, the measure, drafted by West Lampeter Township Committeewoman Marilyn Gallagher, asks that state campaigns “provide no actual or implied support to sitting members which could subvert or weaken the decisions properly made by the County Committees.”
The resolution is a response to the HRCC’s support of Reps. Gibson C. Armstrong and Roy Baldwin, neither of whom had county GOP backing in their unsuccessful May primary bids to stand for re-election in November.
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