After five years of serving the residents of Blendon Township, Republican Kevin Bacon is ready to dive into deeper political waters.

The two-term Blendon Township trustee was elected to the 21st District seat in the Ohio House of Representatives in this fall's election.

He said the past few months have been hectic.

"Oh, we've been pretty busy," Bacon said. "We just finished up five days of new legislator training, and that's been right after Thanksgiving. All in all, it's been a mix, with wrapping up my job at Farmer's Insurance, getting ready for next year and wrapping things up in Blendon Township."

Bacon will replace incumbent Republican Linda Reidelbach of Worthington, who decided not to seek re-election to the Ohio House. During his campaign, he told ThisWeek that if elected, he would look for ways to keep and create jobs in central Ohio, ensure that local schools are better funded and receive a fair share of the state budget, improve the accessibility and affordability of health care and "restore integrity and fiscal responsibility at the Statehouse."

Bacon said he is looking forward to taking those steps.

"The issues that you deal with in the legislature can be very complex and there's a lot to learn, but at the same time, I feel like I have a good base to work from -- not only from my time in Blendon Township, but also as an attorney, a husband and father," he said. "Many things can prepare you to go to the legislature, and I'm ready to learn."

In preparation for his new term, Bacon has hired Megan Baloy as a full-time staff person. Currently a legal aide for state Rep. Earl Martin (R-Avon Lake), Baloy is also a former employee of U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi and helped on Bacon's campaign.

"She's a great employee and I've heard a lot of good things said about her from folks at the Statehouse," Bacon said.

Although Bacon said he is looking forward to joining the state legislature, he also discussed several projects he was proud to be a part of during his tenure as a township trustee.

"The biggest changes (in Blendon township) were in the areas of safety services; we added 18 firefighters to the force in that time," he said. "Obviously, it was a joint effort with (Westerville), but we also built a new fire house and were able to make substantial improvements to the police headquarters and senior center. ... We've had an opportunity to create a better environment for them to work in, and any time you can boost morale, it's to everyone's benefit."

He added that the township must continue to deal with issues such as the proposed increase to residents' water rates and any other issues that may crop up.

"While there aren't any major initiatives in the works right now, that's the exciting thing about government," Bacon said. "You never know what's going to come up around the corner."

Bacon will continue to serve as a Blendon Township trustee until Dec. 31. His term as state representative will begin Jan. 1, 2007.

Caption: Kevin Bacon