PERRY RESIDENTS RETURN THREE GOP INCUMBENTS

PERRYVILLE -- Perry County residents opted to let those with the jobs keep them. The three Republican incumbents were re-elected to their offices during Tuesday's election, and another Republican replaced the public administrator who resigned.

Republicans Sheriff Gary Schaaf and county commissioners Mike Yamnitz and Dennis Lohman defeated their opponents.

Republican Jim Taylor was the only new face in Perry County, replacing public administrator John Bert, a Republican who didn't file to run for re-election. Taylor beat Gerald Fallert, a Democrat, 4,086 to 2,534.

Schaaf defeated Democrat Raymond Detjen 4,516 to 2,282 for his second term. Detjen had accused Schaaf of wrongdoing by selling a stolen car. A special prosecutor had cleared Schaaf when he only charged a deputy in the matter.

Schaaf said he was tickled that he won but he wasn't surprised: "Just from talking from people in town, I was fairly confident. But I am very appreciative of the vote of confidence people gave me."

Schaaf said he will continue to learn by doing. He said his office is in the process of a restructuring of the chain of command.

"Instead of a chief deputy, I now have several captains for different divisions," Schaaf said

Yamnitz, who won out over Democrat Carrie Key, 2,543 to 1,177, said he thinks he won by such a large margin because people think he's doing a good job.

"I'd like to think that anyway," he said. "It's just very relieving to have this over."

Republican Dennis Lohman beat Independent Gene Tucker by a close margin. Lohman netted 1,500 votes to Tucker's 1,323, but he said it wasn't as close as his primary race where he won by one vote over his Republican challenger.

He said he thinks this is a message that he will have to improve and have to pay closer attention to the roads in Perry County this term because he knows that roads are important to the people there.

Herbert E. Miller will be coroner, Larry W. White will be assessor and Ken Baer will be surveyor. They ran unopposed.