Court Hiring
Statements made in previous Letters to the Editor suggest a belief that Ohio courts must post notices for vacant staff positions or otherwise follow the civil service procedures to hire their staff. However, this is not the case.
Ohio law does not require posting for any court staff position nor does any recognized hiring process exist for these positions. Instead, court staff positions are unclassified positions, excluded from civil service hiring requirements, pursuant to O.R.C. 124.11(A)(10).
Ohio Revised Code authorizes juvenile and probate court judges to directly appoint employees they deem necessary, set their titles, duties and compensation. Employees of the Geauga County Probate/Juvenile Court serve in the unclassified service, meaning they may be hired and fired subject to the judge’s discretion. That means they are not entitled to remain employed, even during periods of satisfactory performance, nor are they only terminable for good cause; rather, they are appointed at the discretion of the judge and they serve at his or her pleasure, i.e., they are “at-will” and may be hired or terminated for any reason — good reason, bad reason or even no reason.
Notably relevant to assertions to the contrary, unclassified positions do not require prior public notice, posting, or examination before the appointing officials may fill them.
This is the case for every position in the juvenile and probate court.
However, the two particular positions in question — the constable and the budget/fiscal director and county liaison — are even more discretionary positions than the typical role in the court. These positions occupy personal and/or confidential roles on an elected official’s staff; the law has defined the need for judges to have particularly broad discretion in the hire, maintenance and termination of these employees. That is, these particular employees belong to the smallest and most discretionary category of court employees — the ones providing the most critical kind of support to a judge in carrying out his or her duties and upon whom those officials most heavily rely to fulfill the obligations of the office.
I trust this alleviates the concerns regarding the court’s hiring process. However, if anyone has additional questions they may contact me at the court and I can provide a copy of the legal opinion issued by the law firm who represents the Ohio judiciary pursuant to a self-insurance program with the Ohio Supreme Court, which includes additional references to supporting codes and case law.
Kimberly Laurie
Budget/Fiscal Director & County Liaison
Geauga County Probate/Juvenile Court
A Trustee Munson Needs
As the Nov. 3 election approaches, I urge your readership to re-elect Irene McMullen for Munson Township trustee. This is especially important for people who care about taxes and financial responsibility.
Time and time again, Irene has supported creative, smart ways to fund township needs without raising taxes. Some of these solutions include:
- Funding recycling area maintenance through the money earned from recycling paper and cardboard.
- Seeking corporate donations to improve parks and public spaces.
- Working with the court to have juvenile offenders care for our cemeteries.
She takes a no-frills approach to community spending and makes sure that our public services, such as the fire department, have exactly what they need, without spending extra for fancy add-ons.
The choice between painted steel hubcaps and shiny chrome ones might not seem like a big deal, but these daily savings that Irene ponders turn into big savings and big benefits for all of us.
She is committed to working harder and working smarter. Without her efforts, we’d be paying a lot more to enjoy living in this community.
She has worked hard to update Munson’s policies and keep us away from potential problems.
Irene McMullen is the trustee Munson needs.
Meg Moosa
Munson Township
Yes on Issue 29
I am asking the good people of Geauga County to vote YES, on Nov. 3, and continue helping individuals with developmental disabilities.
VOTE YES for Issue 29. The Metzenbaum Center is very important to my family and many families like ours.
My son, Todd, has special needs. He has developmental disabilities and suffers from mental illness. The Metzenbaum Center staff and services providers kindly provide the support and care to help Todd enjoy the work he does every day. He socializes with others and has supervised independent living.
We are fortunate to be in Geagua County and receive the support for our son. But there is more to tell.
In addition to the wonderful support my son receives every day, the Metzenbaum Center and staff have unique skills to assist individuals with special needs in crisis situations. My son became very ill. Metzenbaum helped us find services and rehabilitative professionals to stabilize Todd so he could move to a group home.
The staff helped us through the steps to secure a wavier, get guardianship, and find providers for Todd’s daily care and supervision in his home. They went above and beyond and we are eternally grateful.
Thank you, Metzenbaum.
Geauga County, please vote Yes for the Metzenbaum Center, Issue 29.
Mark and Mary Jane Jackson
South Russell Village
Care About Children
I hope that Geauga voters will support abused and neglected children by voting YES on Issue 30.
The heroin epidemic has created many innocent victims and the need for Children’s Services has grown exponentially in the last four years. Indeed, the number of children who have needed to be taken into the protective custody of Children’s Services has increased from 27 per month in 2011 to 66 per month in the past year.
These are children who have suffered in many ways and often need expensive interventional services to help them move on to safe and healthy lives.
As a former director of the CASA for KIDS program in Geauga County, I know how dedicated the employees of Children’s Services are, and I know how much the people of Geauga County care about children.
Please follow your heart by voting in favor of Issue 30, which would only add $1.49 per month to the taxes of a $100,000 home.
Betsy Rader
Russell Township
‘All In for Kids’
Issue 30’s motto, “All In for Kids,” succinctly describes what Geauga Children’s Services is all about.
Voting YES on Issue 30 will have a direct impact on the most vulnerable children in Geauga County by allowing Geauga Children’s Services to provide the support they deserve.
My late husband, Judge Chip Henry, and I always supported Geauga Children’s Services. He saw firsthand how the department rendered much needed support to scared and vulnerable kids every day.
The need for support is even greater now due to the heroin crisis in Geauga County, as opiate related cases have increased by more than 400 percent since 2011.
Issue 30 is a five-year, 0.5-mill additional levy for Geauga Children’s Services that will generate about $1.5 million annually. It will cost the owner of a $100,000 home approximately $1.46 per month. This small investment will make a huge difference in the lives of the children who need it most.
Please show your support by voting YES on Issue 30.
Linda Henry, Chairwoman
Geauga Children’s Services Levy Committee
No on Issue 3
Legalization of marijuana will open doors to more drug use such as heroin.
We have a very serious problem with heroin and other drugs in Geauga County.
Please Vote NO on Issue 3.
Pat and John Leech
Newbury Township
Match Made in Heaven
In December of 1990, our family moved from North Hampton, N.H., to Geauga County because of a job opportunity at the time in downtown Cleveland. Our youngest daughter, Chelsea, who was almost 2 at the time had recently been diagnosed with Mild Mental Retardation, Cerebral Palsy/Hemiplegia and was just starting to walk. She had been receiving excellent early intervention prior to our move by the Dept. of DD in New Hampshire, where we were residing at the time.
After moving back, we were referred to the Metzenbaum Center by Chelsea’s physical therapist. This was a match made in heaven. Chelsea was welcomed with open arms and taken under their wing to carry on the therapy she had previously been receiving in NH.
That first year, Chelsea was in a Christmas program and, after much tender loving care, she was able to sing and dance her way into the hearts of the families and staff.
It didn’t stop there, but for several years until the age of 5, she was loved and nurtured in the many classes and activities offered at the Metzenbaum Center.
After Chelsea entered kindergarten at Kenston/Gardiner Elementary at the time, Chelsea still attended the Metzenbaum for many fun activities and recreation, maintaining a close family bond with the many dear staff, family and friends to this day.
I don’t know what Chelsea’s life would have been like if she had not received the faithful, loving care, services and training from the Metzenbaum Center all these years.
This past December, Chelsea was given the opportunity, at age 26, to move into a beautiful group home managed and cared for by Justin & Tiffany Smetana Solid Rock We Stand LLC.
Our family would like to thank the Metzenbaum Center and their entire staff and ask you to consider voting Yes for Issue 29 this November, so that every special needs child in Geauga County would have the same opportunity that Chelsea still enjoys to this day.
Susan Kewley Jerina
Bainbridge Township