Letters to the Editor (Political)
Please Remember to Vote on Nov. 6
Ondrey Sets Record Straight
In accordance with your policy of permitting candidates to respond to prior criticisms of them published in the Letters to the Editor, I am submitting this response.
In a prior issue, a writer asserted that if I am elected to the Common Pleas Court, my “pension” will be greatly benefited. I must refute that perception.
Although I have represented various Geauga County villages and the Geauga Park District for years, I have done so under the terms of annual or bi-annual contracts that do not provide any PERS benefits to me.
I have never been a public employee and have no PERS years of service whatsoever. As a result, a mere six years of service as a judge will provide no meaningful pension benefit to me, in contrast to the other contenders to this office who have many years of PERS accrual.
And, since I intend to collect social security, any PERS benefit to me from those six years may be unavailable or impractical for me to collect in any event.
My motivation to serve as judge, therefore, has absolutely nothing to do with enhancement of my retirement benefits. There will be no such enhancement at all.
Also, in another published letter, the writer asserted I could not be fair whenever a former client comes before me in a new lawsuit. The writer claimed that my successful private practice for 38 years will cause many conflicts for me. While I sincerely believe those instances are going to be few and far between, I will recuse myself when former clients are involved. Under such circumstances, the case will merely be transferred to the other judge.
The same writer asserted that candidate Umholtz will have no such conflict problems. Actually, as public defender for 30-some years, he will probably have far more conflicts than anyone as former clients return to the judicial system.
Thanks for permitting me to respond. I am grateful to the many other individuals who wrote to you to support my candidacy.
David M. Ondrey, Esq.
Candidate for Geauga Common Pleas Court
Geauga Republicans Know Better
A Mr. Edmund Robert of Chester Township warned last week’s readers that I, Nancy McArthur, am leading the Geauga County Republican Party down a path toward progressive liberalism.
Under his name, Mr. Robert does not own any Geauga County property nor is he registered to vote here, yet he is an expert on me, our county Republican Party and our candidates.
Geauga County Republicans and voters know better.
County political parties are mainly comprised of Central Committee members elected in a primary to represent their voting precinct. After the primary, parties elect a chairman and other officers at a reorganizational meeting, and are governed according to bylaws and the Ohio Revised Code. Our bylaws state that post-primary, we support all candidates who win their elections.
Last May, Jim Dvorak won the primary by 899 votes against Commissioner Walter Claypool. The Board of Elections confirms that about four and one half years ago Dvorak became a registered Republican. A few years ago, he was recommended to serve on our Executive Committee, it was brought before the Committee and we unanimously voted to confirm him. No objections about Dvorak were made by anyone until he decided to run for Commissioner. Then, similar complaints as Mr. Robert’s were voiced primarily by Claypool supporters.
The Geauga GOP does not have a formal process for primary election endorsements nor has the Committee’s majority yet expressed a desire to do so. While I do have some influence in our party, it is not within my power to determine the outcome of elections. That authority and responsibility belongs to the voters.
To Mr. Robert and anyone else wishing to become better educated about and involved with our party, I welcome you to join us regardless of prior political affiliations.
We do expect our members to adhere to our platform and our bylaws, and to my knowledge Jim Dvorak has done so. He is certainly well qualified to be a County Commissioner and I hope that Geauga County voters will agree with us on Nov. 6.
Nancy McArthur, Chairman
Geauga County Republican Party
