Three seek now-vacant seat on commission

Published 12:02 am Sunday, February 26, 2012

As the county political parties get ready to choose their candidates for the newly vacated seat on the commission, already there are three who have thrown their hat in the ring.

Following the Feb. 17 death of sitting commissioner Paul Herrell, a Republican, that party will temporarily choose Herrell’s replacement on the commission. That person will serve until the general election.

However, since Herrell, who was elected in 2010, had more than a year left on his term and the vacancy happened more than 56 days before the next election, the Democrats can also put up a candidate for the November race.

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Right now on the Republican side businessman and board of elections member Freddie Hayes and Ohio University Southern communications professor David Lucas say they want the job, according to GOP county chief, Ray Dutey.

This will be the first try for political office for Hayes, who is also a 15-year member of the county fair board and manager of Lawrence Water Corp. for the past 10 years.

“I believe in progress … in public safety and job creation,” said Hayes who was named as the Republican representative on the elections board two years ago. “I am interested in making sure we keep enough money to get more deputies in and help the sheriff’s department and make sure the ambulance service does well and search to get businesses in.

“I have a good work ethic and will work at (the job) as hard as anyone would. … I would be here as much as any other commissioner. I work 80 hours a week at anything I do. Anybody who knows me knows my work ethic.”

This is the second time for Lucas to try for a commission seat. The OUS professor tried unsuccessfully to be appointed by the Republicans to commission in 2011. At that time the vacancy occurred when Commission President Jason Stephens left that post to become the county auditor. The party chose Chesapeake dairy farmer Bill Pratt to take that spot.

Recently Lucas began a countywide health and wellness initiative to improve the county’s ranking in the MATCH project, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

That study placed Lawrence County last among Ohio counties in health issues, including having the highest morbidity rate in the state.

In 1998 Lucas also unsuccessfully ran for state representative against Bill Ogg.

Phone calls made to Lucas to discuss his interest in the post were not returned by press time.

The county Republican central committee will choose Herrell’s temporary replacement at a March 8 meeting at 7 p.m. at the courtroom of Common Pleas Judge Charles Cooper. That person will hold the post at least until the general election. In a second vote that might the committee will also choose the party’s candidate to run on the November ballot.

While the Democrats have yet to set a specific date for their central committee meeting, former two-term county commissioner Doug Malone says he wants his seat back. Malone was beaten in his third bid by Herrell, who had lost his second bid for commission by Malone.

“I have always liked working with people, helping people,” said Malone, a life insurance specialist, said.

Among the projects Malone said he was proud of during his tenure were establishing a medical facility by St Mary’s Medical Center on State Route 141 and a countywide EMS.

“We got a lot done,” Malone said. “All the businesses we brought in and the solid waste district we started where we are cleaning up the county. And I would like to support the people on the eastern end of the county with projects like the Riverwalk and get it on track and get more services for the eastern end and for seniors.”

Another possible candidate is Ironton High School teacher Courtney Johnson, who appeared last year in one of the commercials in the grass-roots fight to overturn Senate Bill 5. Democratic Party chief Craig Allen said someone speaking on behalf of Johnson had discussed her possible interest in the race with him.

Johnson, an 11-year teaching veteran, has taught at IHS for the past year and is the sister of former commissioner Tanner Heaberlin.

“I think it is cool that people are talking about me as a potential candidate,” Johnson said. “I am a teacher because I know that every day I am making a difference in those kids’ lives. I am going to consider this because it is something that could allow me to make a bigger difference.

“I have always paid attention to politics but, like a lot of people, the recent Senate Bill 5 and the governor’s budget to schools geared me up to become an activist. This is something I am going to consider. My heart is in Lawrence County.”

Allen said the Democratic committee expects to meet by the last week of March to pick its candidate.