Appointments
The appointment for Ohio’s 55th House District will be the sixth House since January. Here is who have been appointed this year:
• Rep. Jim Butler, R-Oakwood, was appointed on Jan. 11 to fill the remainder of Rep. Peggy Lehner’s term, who resigned to be appointed to the Ohio Senate.
• Rep. Jim Buchy, R-Greenville, was appointed on Jan. 11 to fill the remainder of Rep. Jim Zehringer’s term, who was appointed by Gov. John Kasich to head the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
• Rep. Richard Hollington, R-Hunting Valley, was re-appointed on Jan. 11 to fill the seat won, but never filled, by Sen. Tim Grendell, R-Chesterland. Hollington had served in the seat when former Rep. Matt Dolan resigned to seek a Cuyahoga County office.
• Robert Sprague, R-Findlay, was appointed on Feb. 2 to fill the remainder of Rep. Cliff Hite’s term, who resigned to be appointed to the Ohio Senate.
• Rep. Christina Hagan, R-Malboro Twp., was appointed on March 2 to fill the remainder of Rep. Todd Snitchler’s term, who was appointed by Gov. John Kasich to head the Ohio Public Utilities Commission.
MIDDLETOWN — Former Middletown Mayor David Schiavone is one of a dozen residents in Ohio’s 55th House District to seek a county GOP recommendation to fill the unexpired term of now state Sen. Bill Coley.
Schiavone said his 16-year career on Middletown City Council gives him the edge to succeed Coley.
“If the committee looks at qualifications and experience, based on my track record I think I have a pretty good shot,” he said.
Schiavone also hopes community borders don’t play a factor in the Butler County Republican Party’s Executive Committee’s June 2 recommendation vote at the Ronald Reagan Lodge at VOA Park in West Chester Twp.
“Most of these votes are centered around Liberty and West Chester (townships),” Schiavone said. “We’re all neighbors, we’re all in this together. This is too important of a seat and a critical time in our history that we need to look to our people that are qualified and do the work of the district, and I think I can do that.”
An even dozen met the 4 p.m. Thursday deadline to seek the county GOP’s recommendation to the Ohio House Republican Caucus screening committee. Coley left Tuesday to fill the unexpired senate term of Gary Cates, who resigned Monday for a job on the Ohio Board of Regents.
The other 11 candidates are: former Liberty Twp. trustee Margy Conditt; Mark Haverkos of West Chester Twp.; Bruce Jones of West Chester Twp.; Middletown Pregnancy Crisis Center Director Candice Keller; Liberty Twp. Trustee Christine Matacic; Doug Mink of West Chester Twp.; Phil Morrical III of Liberty Twp.; George Nafziger of West Chester Twp.; Butler County Republican Party screening committee chairman Don Spurlock; West Chester Twp. Trustee Lee Wong; and Burt Young of West Chester Twp.
Matacic, first elected in 2001 to her trustee post, has the second most experience as an officeholder. Wong was elected a trustee in 2005, and Conditt served one trustee term.
The 12 House hopefuls at 6 p.m. June 1 will go before the Butler County GOP screening committee — a temporary chairman is expected to be named today in light of Spurlock’s candidacy.
The Ohio House Republican Caucus screening committee, led by Speaker Pro Tempore Lou Blessing, R-Cincinnati, will meet June 6 to interview candidates. The full caucus will meet June 8 to make the appointment.
“Speaker (of the House William) Batchelder (R-Medina) has had a desire to work very closely with the county Republican parties when an opening becomes available,” said House Republican spokesman Mike Dittoe. “We will certainly take those (recommendations) into consideration.”
Any 55th House District resident — who does not need to seek the recommendation of the Butler County GOP — must send a letter of interest by 5 p.m. June 1 to Batchelder’s office — 77 S. High St., 14th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215.
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