GREEN: A city council member alleged that the Summit County Republican Party interfered in council business after members voted in new leadership at a meeting on Thursday.
The council voted 4-3 to name At-Large Councilman Chris Humphrey to his second term as president followed by the same vote for Ward 1 Councilman James V. Ahlstrom II as council vice president.
They succeed outgoing President Ken Knodel and Vice President John “Skip” Summerville.
Summerville, who is beginning his final year on the council as a result of term limits, was nominated by At-Large Councilman Stephen Dyer to face off with Humphrey.
After the meeting, Dyer, who was nominated for vice president against Ahlstrom but lost, charged that the county GOP leadership interfered with Green’s non-partisan government by making phone calls to influence the council’s leadership election.
Bryan Williams, executive chairman of the Summit County Republican Party, did not return phone calls from the Beacon Journal seeking comment.
“It’s unfortunate that outside political forces have decided to turn their guns on Green City Council,” Dyer said. “Our procedures and our in-house process was overtaken tonight by political expedience. It’s indeed unfortunate, and it rivals anything I’ve seen in the Ohio Legislature. It is just too bad,” the former Ohio House member declared.
Asked to be more specific, Dyer said: “The Summit County Republican Party clearly had their candidate, Mr. Humphrey, who has already served as council president. This is an unusual turn , especially with Mr. Summerville no longer being on the ballot [this fall]. He would serve our community well.”
He then charged that the Summit GOP “made calls on behalf of Mr. Humphrey. This is a political move, and so it is unfortunate that politics have come to Green.”
All four council members who voted for Humphrey — Humphrey, Ahlstrom, Bob Young and Knodel — said Friday when asked by the Beacon Journal that they did not receive vote-influencing calls from county GOP representatives.
Ward 2 Councilman Young, who nominated Humphrey, said, “[Humphrey’s] integrity and dedication to this city makes him the most qualified person to lead council. In addition, his ability to unite and communicate with council, residents and the administration is second to none.”
After being elected, Humphrey, who served single terms as president pro term and president, said, “I am fully committed to working with all members of council and the administration in 2017 to make Green the best place there is to live, work and own a business, go to school and raise a family.”
The new council president will be term-limited in council at the end of 2019 after serving two four-year terms.
In other business, Mayor Gerald Neugebauer swore in several people to new terms on various city groups. Those sword in were: Paul Tarr to the Audit Committee; Kim Baer to the Civil Service Commission; Michael Bianchi and Rod Moore to the Parks and Recreation Board and Sherry Swisher to the Records Committee.