Attorney protests change of government

A local lawyer has joined those protesting petitions filed for a countywide vote on changing Lorain County’s form of government.

Gerald Phillips of Avon Lake on July 26 filed his formal protest against the petitions filed at the Lorain County Elections Board.

Phillips has requested that the petitions be scrapped and the issue not placed on the Nov. 7 ballot.

The move comes as the latest step as the grassroots Citizens for a Better Lorain County Government seeks to generate public interest in changing the form of county government.

In June, the group turned in petitions with signatures to the Lorain County Board of Elections, but the board tied 2-2 in its vote on the validity of the petitions.

Now, the county election staff is awaiting a tiebreaker vote from Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted.

According to Ohio law, Phillips’ protest was sent to Husted’s office, said Paul Adams, director of the Lorain County Elections Board.

State law requires protests against county charter petitions to be sent to and decided by the secretary of state’s office, Adams said.

The effort is “confusing, misleading and fails to clearly inform the average citizen of the content of the petition,” Phillips said.

He argued the petitions should be ruled invalid for at least three other reasons:

• The petitions illegally combined two different types of petitions, one for a county commission and one for a charter petition form.

• The petitions failed to attach a copy of the seven district map.

• The petitions did not satisfy rules of the Ohio constitution.

Phillips added he “is not against the concept and principle of county government reform,” but the charter petition is illegal and should not be on the ballot. Another citizenled effort next year could bring forth a charter petition that is clearly legal and valid and that is more citizenand taxpayer-friendly with for greater control of elected public officials, he said.

He also claimed the change of government was supported by Republicans and the Republican elections board members, Helen Hurst and Marilyn Jacobcik. He argued other reasons for rejecting the petitions as well.

In the new form of government, Lorain County would be divided into seven districts. Voters would elect seven commissioners, one from each district, along with the county prosecutor, auditor and sheriff.

The commissioners would appoint a county administrator, medical examiner, clerk of courts, law director, public works director and treasurer, according to the proposed charter.

More information posted at 7districts.com. is