Lake County Probate Court Judge Mark J. Bartolotta will soon make his first appointment to the Lake Metroparks Board of Commissioners as the term of Ellen Foley Kessler expired Dec. 31.

Metroparks commissioners do not receive compensation and serve three-year terms on the board.

The judge, who is a Republican, could reappoint Kessler, a Democrat, or he could choose someone else. Park Commissioners Frank Polivka and Dennis Eckart are also Democrats.

I’m not suggesting that party affiliation is the only requirement for an appointment, but it’s likely to be taken into consideration.

My hunch is we’ll see some development on that appointment next week.

In Geauga County, Probate/Juvenile Court Judge Tim Grendell has three appointments to make to the Geauga Park District Board of Commissioners, an entity that currently has no members. Those appointments will consist of terms for one, two and three years.

There could be an interesting little-known wrinkle to watch for down the road in Lake or Geauga counties that Ohio Revised Code allows.

Any board of park commissioners of a park district may elect to expand the membership of the board from three members to five members upon a majority vote of the board.

After such a vote, the board would certify to the probate judge a resolution requesting the judge to appoint two additional members to the board. The judge would then need to appoint those additional members, and they would take office immediately upon their appointment.

It’s not unprecedented as the county park boards in nearby Trumbull and Ashtabula counties each have five members.

Taken out petitions

Concord Township Trustee Christopher Galloway, a Republican, has taken out petitions with the Lake County Elections Board to run for county commissioner. Judge Cynthia Rice has taken out petitions to seek re-election for 11th District Court of Appeals. Painesville Township Republican Chuck Laughlin has taken out petitions for Ohio’s 14th Congressional District.

Filed petitions

Lisa Klammer, a Concord Township Democrat, has filed candidacy petitions with the Lake County Elections Board to run for county Probate Court judge.

Swearing in

Eastlake Mayor-elect Dennis Morley and council members Kenneth Hoefle, Laura DePledge and councilman-elect Kimberly C. Evers will be sworn-in at 6 p.m. Tuesday at city hall during council’s organizational meeting.

At a 7 p.m. city council organizational meeting Monday, Beachwood Mayor Merle S. Gorden, Councilman Melvin Jacobs, Councilmen-elect James Pasch and Alec Isaacson will be sworn-in.

Willoughby Mayor David Anderson along with city Councilmen Jeffrey H. Black, Christopher W. Woodin, Robert A. Fiala, Robert E. Carr, Jerome P. Ranally, Robert J. Harrold and Councilman-elect Stephen T. Norris will be sworn-in during a ceremony at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Event

Retirement party for former Painesville Township Trustees Jeanette Crislip and Jim Falvey from 5 to 8 p.m. Jan. 24 at Hellriegel’s Inn in Painesville Township.

Deadlines

The weekly deadline to submit information for this column is each Wednesday by 5 p.m. Email or fax is preferred.

Fundies

• Campaign kickoff for Lake County Juvenile Court Judge Karen Lawson, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 16 at LaMalfa Party Center in Mentor. See Lu Dunlap.
• Bartolotta hosts a fundraiser, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 21 at LaMalfa Party Center in Mentor. See John Redmond or Amy Sabath.
• John P. O’Donnell, candidate for Lake County Common Pleas Court, hosts a fundraiser 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23, at LaMalfa Party Center. See Mike Lucas, Mike Bucci or Ann Bergen.
• Lake County Domestic Relations Court Judge Colleen A. Falkowski hosts a fundraiser from 5:30 to 7:30 Jan. 30 at LaMalfa Party Center in Mentor. See Brian Falkowski.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Now that the May 7 special election results have been made official by the Lake County Elections Board, let’s take a look at where each ballot issue won or lost in the respective community or school district.

In general, the breakdown is a way to see how your neighborhood voted and it can be a useful tool for entities planning future election strategies.

A five-year, 3.9-mill replacement and 6.4-mill additional levy combined into a 10.3-mill levy for Fairport Harbor Village’s current operating expenses lost 350-239 or 59.42 percent to 40.58 percent. The levy failed 203-153 in Precinct AA and 147-86 in Precinct BB.

Kirtland’s five-year, 2-mill road improvement levy failed 855-847 or 50.24 percent to 49.76 percent. The levy was defeated 157-154 in Precinct 1A, 249-221 in Precinct 3A, 261-228 in Precinct 4A; it won 244-188 in Precinct 2A.

Kirtland Schools 10-year, estimated 5.12 mills generating $1,552,615 annually for emergency requirements won 970-840 or 53.59 percent to 46.41 percent.

The levy passed in each of Kirtland’s four precincts; tied 3-3 in Willoughby Precinct 2A; lost 25-24 in Kirtland Hills Precinct AA and 24-22 Waite Hill Precinct AA.

A continuing, 3.8-mill additional levy for Madison Village police lost 203-191 or 51.52 percent to 48.48 percent. The levy passed 104-97 in Precinct AA, but failed 106-87 in Precinct BB.

For Mentor Schools, a continuing, 1-mill renewal levy for general permanent improvements won 5,079 to 1,866 or 73.13 percent to 26.87 percent. The 10-year, estimated 8.84-mill renewal levy for avoiding an operating deficit won 5,085 to 1,858 or 73.24 percent to 26.76 percent.

Both school levies passed in each of the school district’s 45 precincts.

A 5-year, 6.06-mill renewal levy for operating expenses for Painesville Schools won 402-282 or 58.77 percent to 41.23 percent. The levy passed in five Painesville precincts — 2B, 3A, 3B, 3C and 4B; failed in five precincts — 1A, 1B, 2A, 4A and 4C.

The Willoughby-Eastlake Schools 10-year, estimated 4.71 mills generating $7,585,000 annually for emergency requirements lost 3,632 to 3,213 or 53.06 percent to 46.94 percent.

A breakdown of how the levy fared in each community reveals:

In Eastlake, the levy passed in six of 12 precincts — 1A, 1B, 2B, 4A, 4B and 4C; failed in 1C, 2A, 2C, 3A, 3B and 3C.

The levy passed in seven of 15 precincts in Willoughby — 2A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B and 6B; failed in 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 2B, 3A, 4C and 6A.

In Willoughby Hills, the levy passed in Precinct GG and failed in the other six precincts.

The levy passed in three of nine Willowick precincts — 2A, 2B and 2C; failed in 1A, 1B, 1C, 3A, 3B and 3C.

A majority of voters in Lakeline Precinct AA, Timberlake AA and Waite Hill AA each voted down the levy.

Ohio Treasurer candidate announces

State Rep. Connie Pillich, D-Montgomery, has announced she will run for state Treasurer in 2014.

Republican Josh Mandel of Beachwood is serving his first term as Treasurer.

Pillach is serving her third term in the Ohio House of Representatives. Her district is located in southwestern Ohio.

Taken out petitions

Recently signing out candidacy petitions with the Elections Board in Lake County are: C. Michelle Hayes for Madison School Board, Mary Jarins and Ellen Brown for Fairport School Board.

Deadline

The weekly deadline to submit information for this column is prior to 5 p.m. each Wednesday. Email or fax is preferred.

Fundies

n Fundraiser for Geauga County Commissioner Mary Samide, 4:30 to 7 p.m. May 30 at S.O.S. Inc. in Munson Township. See Samide or Jacqueline Moskal.

n Lake County Commissioner Robert E. Aufuldish, 18th annual golf outing, 11:30 a.m. registration May 31 at Powderhorn Country Club in Madison Township. See Kathie Aufuldish-Freshour or Ernie Koenig.

n Friends of Laketran political action committee will host Bowling for the Future fundraiser, 2 p.m. June 1 at Scores Fun Center in Painesville. See Nancy Cook.

n Lake County Sheriff Daniel A. Dunlap’s Golf and Steak Fry, 10:30 a.m. shotgun start June 7 at Painesville Country Club. See Lu Dunlap or Frank Leonbruno.

n Willoughby Hills Councilwoman Nancy Fellows hosts Flag Day Family Picnic from 6 to 8 p.m. June 14 at Campbell Park in Willoughby Hills. See Nancy or Dale Fellows.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

When it comes time to cast a ballot on Nov. 6 don’t overlook the people at your polling location who are there to make help provide that opportunity.

Poll workers are the folks who greet you at your precinct, check your identification, have you sign your name in the poll book, and then give you instructions on how to cast your ballot whether it’s by using an electronic machine or an optical scanned paper ballot.

Poll workers are often friends and neighbors and they do important jobs to help run the election.

The day typically starts around 6 a.m. and includes tasks such as to open up the polls and make sure the machines ready to operate. This all must be finished prior to 6:30 a.m., when the polls are supposed to be open.

Small jobs that most people don’t think about such as placing American flags at the polling location is part of the work.

During Election Day, it’s a poll workers job to make sure each voter is registered. Sometimes a voter must cast a provisional ballot because their identity can’t be verified by required identification or in situations where there might be a question of the voter’s eligibility in that specific precinct.

It’s the job of the poll worker to determine when a provisional ballot must be cast and they are trained on when those situations apply and how to handle it.

Once the election hours are concluded at 7:30 p.m. — unless directed to stay open longer due a court order — poll workers close down the voting location and deliver ballots to the county elections board, which works as quickly as possible to get them counted so the public can learn the unofficial results.

One thing to note is work as a poll worker is not a volunteer position, it is a paid one and the rate is set by the respective county.

In Lake County, a poll worker is paid $107.91 plus $20 for training. Presiding judges receive $127.91, plus $20 for training. In Geauga County, poll workers are paid $107.91, plus $30 for training. Presiding judges earn an extra $5 to $11, plus $30 for training.

There is always a need for poll workers in Lake County and most other counties, election officials will say. Inevitably someone gets sick or has an emergency and just can’t make it to the polls, so another person has to be ready to step in as a substitute, if necessary.

Serving as a poll worker, which I haven’t done because I’m usually working to cover an election, would be something I’d like to do sometime. I’m told it’s a long day, but most often a rewarding one because it’s a chance to be a part of the election process and serve the community.

Lake County TEA Party meets

The Lake County TEA Party will meet at 7 p.m., Tuesday at Harvey High School Auditorium in Painesville. Ohio School Board candidates Bev Goldstein, District 11, and Sarah Fowler, District 7 are scheduled to speak.

Candidate endorsements

For any Nov. 6 candidates who have earned endorsements (not from The News-Herald), feel free to email them or fax them. Because of the volume and space required to list them, these items will not be printed in this column. Instead, they’ll be posted periodically on The News-Herald’s Northern Ohio Politics Blog at NorthernOhioLocalPolitics.blogspot.com.

Deadline reminder

The weekly deadline for information to appear in this column is each Wednesday at 5 p.m. Email or fax is preferred.

Fundies

* Lori DiNallo, candidate for Ohio House of Representatives District 60, hosts a clambake 6:30 p.m. Oct. 17 at Benny Vino Urban Winery in Perry Village. See Jan Clair.

* Judy Moran, candidate for Lake County commissioner, hosts a Ladies Luncheon with special guest speaker Kathy Purmal, noon to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 21, at Cappelli’s Party Center in Mentor. See Kathy Russo or Shirely Vesel.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah