STEUBENVILLE — The two men vying for the Jan. 2 seat with the Jefferson County commissioners say they plan to draw heavily from their life experiences if they win the general election.

The Nov. 5 ballot pits Republican Ron “Jake” Kleineke, a Richmond resident and small business owner, against Democrat Charlie Newburn, a Bloomingdale resident and longtime township official.

The winner will fill the seat that has been held by Dave Maple, who chose to not seek re-election.

Ron “Jake” Kleineke

Kleineke, 63, owns Eastern Construction Services, which he started in 2012, and ,with wife Lisa, co-owns the Hidden Acres Wedding and Events center, which they purchased six years ago. A Richmond resident, he’s had extensive experience working with oil and gas, having built the first Utica shell production facility in Jefferson County, and invented the Enviroeye, a device patented in 12 countries including the European Union that monitors oil on water to protect the environment in oilfield services.

Q: What do you see as the biggest issue facing Jefferson County during the next 10 to 20 years and what ideas do you have for addressing it?

R: “We have deteriorating infrastructure we need to continue addressing — roads bridges, water lines and sewage lift stations, all of which cost a lot to keep up to standard. My experience in industrial piping and construction can be a huge asset to the county, and I will use that experience and work diligently to save taxpayers money by developing preventive maintenance checklists to keep all our stations running correctly. I’ll keep communication open between the operators and commissioners so we can stay on top of items that need addressed. Rural internet is another big topic simply because of the speed at which technology advances, so we’ll need to focus on government programs that invest in rural broadband infrastructure through loans and grants which prioritize underserved areas and encourage collaboration between local and state governments.”

Q: Much has been written over the past four decades about the graying of the Ohio Valley. What can you, as commissioner, do to convince young people they can have a future in Jefferson County once they graduate from high school or college?

R: “Keeping our young people in the area is especially important; with the loss of so much manufacturing it has been challenging. We need to get our community college back open. We need to put more investment into good quality-of-life projects that provide places and experiences for family building and promote our recreational areas. We need to continue working toward development and bring restaurants, stores and places for young families to enjoy, which keeps revenue local. The most important is marketing our county for the 21st century. Since our focus should be keeping young families local, we need to develop and market the area to entice more types of careers that the younger generation has prepared for. It is time Jefferson County steps up to the challenges of the 21st century.”

Q: Why should voters choose you?

R: “I am the best choice for your commissioner based on my experience owning and operating successful businesses within our county. Voters need to know that I am an analytical person, and I can make things happen. My promise is to address issues we face and apply no-nonsense solutions with the least burden on taxpayers. I will give the citizens direct, open lines of communication to commissioners and I will be your voice, as well as getting critical issues heard at the state level. I want to bring back the respect that Jefferson County deserves.”

Charlie Newburn

Newburn, 71, is a retired steelworker and retired longtime Wayne Township trustee. He was an original E-911 board member, serving for more than 20 years. A Bloomingdale resident, he also spent four years as president and four more as vice president of the Jefferson County Township Association. He served as a regional planning/block grant development representative and is a former member of the EMA Advisory Council and served eight years as president of Jefferson County Regional Planning Commission.

Q: What do you see as the biggest issue facing Jefferson County during the next 10 to 20 years and what ideas do you have for addressing it?

R: “Breaking up the tight grip that the clique of Jefferson County has on this area. If elected, I want to work with all the Jefferson County residents, not just the select few, to open up the area to new business, while reaching out to the other elected officials in townships and villages to work with them to bring in new interest/and income producing businesses.”

Q: Much has been written during the past four decades about the greying of the Ohio Valley. What can you, as commissioner, do to convince young people they can have a future in Jefferson County once they graduate from high school or college?

R: “What I am doing now — running for office to change the climate in the valley for bringing in businesses so there is an opportunity for young people to have good-paying jobs to come back to after college or trade jobs so they can continue to live here after high school, supporting a two-year community college here in the county, also.”

Q: Why should voters choose you?

R: “I feel my experience in government and with working with the county for the majority of my life gives me the qualifications that the voters should feel confident I would be an asset to the county. They can know that I will be there for the entire county, just not private interests.”