Wise re-elected as Ashville mayor; gas aggregation suffers slim defeat

Chuck Wise, pictured here at the Ashville 4th of July Celebration, was re-elected to his position Tuesday. (Photo by Trish Bennett)

ASHVILLE – Chuck Wise is set to begin his fifth term as mayor of Ashville after earning more than 61 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s general election.

Wise, now in his 16th year in the position, earned 537 votes (61.51 percent) against opponent Brian M. Garvine with 336 votes (38.49 percent).

“I appreciate all the support, but it’s really the people around me who make it work,” Wise said Tuesday night. “We’ve got a lot of work to do with the sewer plant and all of the other things we have going on, but we have a council that really works great together.”

Garvine, currently a member of village council, could not be reached for comment
Tuesday, but Wise said he had to forego running for re-election to council in order to run for mayor.

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Since no other candidates filed to run for the seat, either, Wise said he will likely reappoint Garvine for the next term.

“We are friends, and he is always very respectful,” Wise said. “We’ve talked about it, and I think he’s willing to do that, so I will probably reappoint him.”

Garvine’s was one of two council seats up for election this year. The second was won by incumbent Nelson R. Embrey II, who ran unopposed.

Ashville also had an issue on the ballot for the aggregation of natural gas. That measure failed by just five votes at the end of Tuesday’s election with 431 against the issue and 426 in favor. Provisional ballots, however, have not yet been counted, and the results are not official until certified by the Pickaway County Board of Elections.