Bellefontaine Mayor, Ben Stahler, has announced his bid for re-election in 2023.
Stahler was born and raised in Bellefontaine and is a graduate of BHS.
He went on to earn a degree in Pharmacy from Ohio Northern University and worked as a pharmacist at Mary Rutan Hospital and CVS Pharmacy for a combined 35 years.
Stahler is married to Sara J. (Crawfis) Stahler and they’ll celebrate 40 years of marriage this summer. They have three adult children and five grandchildren; all of whom attend Bellefontaine City Schools.
Mr. Stahler was appointed to the office of Mayor in October 2014. He subsequently was elected to a four-year term in November 2015 and November 2019.
He previously served Bellefontaine City Council (2 terms, 1990-1993), was elected to Bellefontaine Board of Education (4 terms, 1996-2008), was appointed to the Ohio Hi-Point Board of Education (1996-2003) and the Logan County Board of Elections (2007–2015).
Mr. Stahler serves as chairman of the Logan County Mayor’s Association (since 2014) and is currently President-Elect of the Mayor’s Association of Ohio.
He is a volunteer docent at the Logan County Historical Center. Stahler presently serves as a member of Governor DeWine’s Task Force on Volunteer Fire Service. He is a member and Elder at the First United Presbyterian Church of Bellefontaine and a member of the local Rotary Club (39+ years).
In 2013, Stahler was honored with the Elks Lodge “Citizen of the Year.”
Stahler will face opposition in the upcoming May primary from Dave Crissman.
Legend
January 16, 2023 at 3:16 pmGo Dave!
Love L co.
January 16, 2023 at 3:36 pmIt’s time to get these same scammers out of office and get ones in that want to give logan co. Back to the people, not there buddies w the check book start putting money into the poor end of town instead of things that only meet there interest and line there pockets while the rest off btown suffers.
Citizen
January 16, 2023 at 7:21 pmAgreed, need to start looking at the town as a whole and focus on other areas instead of getting pockets lined by Jason Duff who’s monopolizing downtown. Charging an absurd amount on rent for downtown buildings, chasing small business that have been here for years out that don’t fit their agenda!
Shannon Purdy
January 25, 2023 at 11:08 amHe gets criticized for looking at the town as a whole…. He stands up for everyone’s rights to exist and thrive in this community but then gets scorned because that’s not what the far right want! That doesn’t align with their religious views. If youre you going be mayor you have to represent EVERYONE.. Not just the “Christians” Yes that means people of different races, the g**s and atheists’!
Reagan Kennedy
January 17, 2023 at 6:46 amDon’t have a dog in this race , don’t live in town. But with that said. It’s interesting n**ody seems to want to put their name to their comments so far that’s pretty bold an cowardly. It would be nice to see / hear what these two candidates have Done and will Do for the community rather than stating how popular they are. Also, leave Jason Duff out of the debate , he is putting HIS own money in the game and has been instrumental in turning downtown B-town around. People have short memories an do not want to remember what the town was like before he started. When you start putting your a**ets into the mix by all means you should have a say in the outcome. Till then pipe down. It will interesting to see what these fellas have to say, and what their vision is for the city.
Bold & Cowardly
January 17, 2023 at 8:43 amReagan Kennedy sounds like he getting pockets lined also. His own money? You mean the outrageous rent he charges is what he puts in. Its no secret.
Bob
January 17, 2023 at 9:28 amI’m glad he has an opponent running against him. Already sounds like most people favor the other gentleman vs. Stahler. I’d be happy to see him go.
Love L co.
January 17, 2023 at 10:53 amIt’s r real easy when he’s sold most of btown historical district to duff for $1 and that’s the truth just like he would do for his next buddy who wants to put in an over priced brewery.
Alan Galvez, former business owner downtown
January 17, 2023 at 11:26 amYa know, you could have bought it for a dollar also. Why didn’t you? And, each one of the properties Mr. Duff has bought he bought from an individual owner, city government had nothing to do with most all of them, except make sure as they were rehabbed following whatever building codes applied. But yes, he did buy one for a dollar. And what would you have wanted the city to do with an abandoned building. Perhaps you should get your facts straight before you criticize people. I go right along with Reagan Kennedy. I don’t have a dog in the race either. And I will list my name as I was in business downtown for 35 years and very proud of the downtown. Now mostly retired.
Jamie Stevenson
January 17, 2023 at 12:18 pmI agree with others, something’s got to change. As a former small business owner, charging more for rent than some of these small business owners can make in a month, especially in this economy. Defend it if you want to but something fishy is going on, especially when businesses that are open less than a month receive awards, when other businesses get passed over that have been open much much longer. Its all about who you know. Doesn’t matter what Mr. Duff paid, the fact that he’s trying to control a town is obvious enough to a lot of people. As far as historical buildings, that’s why we pay city taxes. You speak as if the $1 was really advertised, only advertised to the buddy system.
Hillary Shields
January 17, 2023 at 12:36 pmStabler and his buddy Duff can both go!!!
Hillary Shields
January 17, 2023 at 12:36 pmStahler**
Bob
January 17, 2023 at 1:15 pmOff topic but in response to above comments; I agree that Jason Duff has done great things for downtown, but he’s monopolizing it and it’s leaving a bad taste in people’s mouths. Between the high rent prices, whispers of shady business deals and practices, events that Small Nation had nothing to do with, but trying to profit off of them… The residents and business owners are seeing him as money hungry entrepreneur and nothing more. That he doesn’t care about this small town, but only about profiting from it. So much so that I have heard on multiple occasions that people refuse to either do business with him or are trying to get out from underneath him. It’s been proven time and time again that people in small towns talk, but he has yet to come out and clear the air. Assuming he probably believes he has no reason to. That’s his right, but eventually, bad reviews become reputation. His name, that he is so proud of, will end up being one of shame if he doesn’t start working on making himself look a little more humble. Maybe start with keeping his own mother off social media so he doesn’t have to remove his mother’s h*mophobic comments. Especially considering that Jason himself is g**.
Lindsey
January 23, 2023 at 8:51 pmA lot of people are seeing it and have started talking a lot recently.
Dean Lattimer
January 17, 2023 at 4:29 pmYou locak small businesses have not realized no matter your product line is online marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart as your competitors. As you primarily depend on local foot traffic only. As Amazon and Walmart steal customers daily from you. The only recourse option you have as a whole is to: 1. create your own community based marketplace through software like: wordpress woocommerce marketplace. 2. Under price amazon with only credit care fee of .05% per sale. 3. Have specific location to where all product exist on excel. Sku,upc,product short. Length, height,width etc. 4. Same location takes photos ecommerce ready 1000 z 1000 .jpeg file. 5. Have retailer ship or deliver as needed or hire uber driver. 6. Have retailer stock at their location and be trained and given excel data sheet and email data of new and inventory to center hub. As all small town retailers in all USA need marketplaces of their own to gain the upper hard with these two. Goodluck!
Love L co.
January 18, 2023 at 12:30 pmLet’s not forget Duffs bringing HGTV to Indian lake to show off the lake life. all fun and games for out of towners, while the locals who serve all these people lay in the gutters to drunk to function, to high to comprehend reality living in sub standard housing waiting on the next flood. Needles on our beaches and streets while the create an illusion of this fabulous life.
Ed
January 18, 2023 at 11:25 pmCurb your enthusiasm. It’s Indian Lake, not Calcutta.
Very Concerned
January 23, 2023 at 7:57 amNot saying Jason is a bad person but I look at their actions. He’s a landlord, plain and simple. Anything Small Nation has or will do is all fluff to get him additional rent money. How many businesses have come and gone…surprising for someone who so believes in the power of small business. Also, the same person who lives in a mansion in Dublin and prefers to shop at Costco.