Commissioners Trade Barbs Over Social Media
Geauga County Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri endorsed Steve Oluic for commissioner the afternoon of Jan. 22.
Geauga County Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri endorsed Steve Oluic for commissioner the afternoon of Jan. 22.
The endorsement followed a meeting in which commissioners Jim Dvorak and Carolyn Brakey nominated Geauga County Engineer Andy Haupt to the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency instead of Spidalieri. The nomination passed on a split vote, with Spidalieri voting against it.
Oluic is challenging Dvorak for his county commissioner’s seat in the 2026 election.
“Over the last almost 14 years of serving as commissioner of Geauga County, I have always tried to remain neutral in campaigns and if I did endorse anyone, it was based on long-term relationships that I have had with various candidates, and always advised people to vote for them based on integrity and honesty,” Spidalieri wrote in a social media post. “We need to restore integrity in the position of commissioner and I fully endorse and support Steven Oluic for commissioner against Jim Dvorak.”
Spidalieri linked Oluic’s campaign Facebook page in his post, encouraging followers to share it in order to “put a commissioner in office that actually cares for the people and our county.”
Brakey responded to Spidalieri’s post on her own Facebook page Jan. 23.
“It’s obviously in poor taste to openly endorse against a colleague and fellow county elected official. Normally, I try to stay outwardly neutral and let voters decide. That said, it’s also an open secret that there is a commissioner who very much wants to become our next sheriff,” she said. “With that in mind, I am formally endorsing Commissioner Jim Dvorak for sheriff. It may not be the office he’s running for, and Geauga County Sheriff Scott A. Hildenbrand may not be up for reelection, but Commissioner Dvorak cracked the biggest smile when he stole the sheriff’s jacket this morning.”
