O’Brien is a former county commissioner who now works for the Ohio Department of Transportation. He lost his seat on the party central committee in the March primary to S. Keith Adkins. Representatives of each voting precinct in the county are elected for the central committee.
“There are some fences to be mended within our party and I will be working hard to see that is done,” Kendell said when asked about his goals as the chairman. “In light of the constant attack on conservatism by the radical left, we simply do not have the luxury of bickering amongst ourselves.”
Division in the party was seen during the recent campaigns for sheriff and for a county commission seat.
Kendell said the party is drafting a set of bylaws to govern the central committee and that all members would have input before they are finalized and filed with the Secretary of State.
Another change he wants to see in the bylaws is having the central committee decide who will fill vacant seats on the committee. He pointed to 26 seats on the committee that are vacant because no one sought them in the recent election. In the past, the party chair primarily filled any open positions, he said.
Others whose elections were announced at a central committee meeting June 9 were William Wolke of Troy, executive vice chairman; Katelyn Berbach, of Tipp City, chairperson; David Caldwell of Troy, central committee chairman; Thomas Kendall of Troy, central committee vice chairman; Martha “Marty” Baker of Troy; secretary; and Matthew Gearhardt of Washington Twp., treasurer.
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