FAYETTE COUNTY — Bloomingburg Mayor Donald Fleak won Tuesday’s Republican primary race for county commissioner over Rick Mead, deputy auditor in the Fayette County Auditor’s Office, by just 161 votes, according to unofficial results from the Fayette County Board of Elections.

Fleak garnered 1,767 votes to Mead’s 1,606, according to unofficial results. Fleak is expected to move on to the general election to face Amy Wright, who ran unopposed on the Democratic primary ballot. Wright received 491 votes on Tuesday, according to the Board of Elections.

Prior to the election, Fleak, who is also the owner of Fleak Brothers Farm Drainage LLC and a licensed real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Heritage, shared his motivation behind running for this position with the Record-Herald.

“I am running for this position to contribute to the betterment of Fayette County. My extensive experience in public service, as both a business owner and a mayor, has equipped me with a unique set of skills and insights that I believe can significantly benefit our county’s leadership,” he said.

Also at Tuesday’s primary, two township levies passed by narrow margins, according to unofficial results.

Union Township voters saw a proposed 1-mill, five-year replacement tax levy for the purpose of fire protection that the county auditor estimates will collect $112,000 annually. This amounts to $111 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value, for five years, commencing in 2024, first due in calendar year 2025.

This measure passed 294-249, according to the Board of Elections.

Madison Township voters saw a proposed 1-mill, five-year additional tax levy for the purpose of fire protection that the county auditor estimates will collect $47,000 annually. This amounts to $47 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value, for five years, commencing in 2024, first due in calendar year 2025.

This measure passed 96-87, according to the Board of Elections.