By Zach Arbogast

zarbogast@oglecounty

news.com

Ogle County Board Chairman Kim Gouker was defeated Tuesday in his bid to earn the Byron Township Supervisor post.

The race between Gouker and Terry Reeverts was decided by 1,074 voters in four precincts.

Gouker took 37.7 percent of the votes with 405 votes, leaving Reeverts with a solid victory of 628 votes, worth 57.54 percent.

For Buffalo Township Highway Commissioner, Hunter Grey claimed victory with 423 votes to William Clothier’s 234.

In Leaf River, four positions on the township board and the highway commissioner seat were on the ballot.

Anthony A. Peterson narrowly defeated his uncle Paul Bral by 16 votes, 141 to 125, to earn a second term as highway commissioner.

Gene Miller, Tyler Wiltfang, Joe Kielsmeier Sr., and Kurt Edler were all elected to the township board in a close race.

Kielsmeier was the top vote-getter with 187, Gene Miller received 184, Edler 174, and Wiltfang 167, to defeat Gina Miller who received 152 votes.

Rockvale Township was in a similar position, with four seats on the township board in contention, along with the position as highway commissioner.

The highway commissioner seat was claimed by Jason Benesh, who upset longtime incumbent Tim Wiltfang by 18 votes in a close 254-236 race.

Township board seats were taken by Richard Montavon Jr., Samuel Thomas, Ron Snodgrass, and Keith Stranberg.

Snodgrass received 341 votes, Thomas 311, Stranberg 283, and Montavon 262, to defeat Daniel Libman who garnered 257 votes.

Pine Rock Township’s Highway Commissioner seat was won by incumbent Gary Clark with 142 votes, beating out challenger Jeff Winterland’s 112.

In a commanding victory, Heath L. Strohman beat Clayton Fraley for White Rock Township’s Highway Commissioner seat, claiming 74.71 percent of the vote to Fraley’s 25.29 percent. The actual tally put Strohman at 127 votes to Fraley’s 43.

For multi-township assessor for Pine Creek, Grand Detour, Eagle Point, and Woosung Townships long-time incumbent Rita Dauphin outlasted challenger Garrett Nettz 194 votes to 83 to win another four-year term.