Judge Reveals Plans for Filling Commissioner Seat

By Rick Hiduk

(Also published in the Rocket-Courier)

As employees at the Wyoming County Courthouse continue to mourn the recent death of commissioner Ron Williams and comment on his absence, the task of officially filling his vacant seat is under way. President judge Russell Shurtleff, whose duty it is to select the individual, surprised some on Dec. 27 with his plan for doing so.

While nobody disagrees that it is ultimately up to the judge to choose the next commissioner, the procedure he has devised comes with a caveat that has some members of the Wyoming County Democratic Party scratching their heads.

The only legal criteria for filling the vacancy is that the person be a registered elector of the same political party as the individual who previously held the post, but Shurtleff is taking it a step farther. With an election year looming and all three commissioners positions back on the ballot, he intends to appoint a qualified individual who does not plan to campaign for the seat.

I strongly believe that the voters of Wyoming County should select their commissioner as opposed to the Common Pleas judge,” Shurleff wrote in a statement issued to the presiding commissioners and the media. “This will allow the individual appointed to be able to focus on the business of the county and not the election.”

To the small audience of the public meeting, he added, “It gives an even playing field for other candidates who are seeking that election.”

Shurtleff noted that he was already communicating with Democratic Party chairperson Laura Dickson as the selection process gets underway. Applications can be presented to the judge’s chambers at any time during regular business hours of the courthouse.

I will meet with the judge and review all of the candidates and take it back to my executive committee,” said Dickson. “That is the process.” As for preventing the person who is selected from running to retain the seat, Dickson is a bit skeptical, citing precedent. “In the past, there have been people who have been appointed who have run,” she continued, citing herself as an example when she was appointed to fill out a term as a county auditor.

I agree with him,” Dickson said of the general concept of judge’s plan. “I would love to have someone come in and do it for just a year. But I also want clarification of all the facts. I want to be sure that all of the candidates have a fair and equal opportunity to be considered.”

I’m kind of impressed by it,” said Commissioner Tom Henry, one of two Republicans on the board, in reference to the judge’s plan. “I like that the person can’t run. I thought that was pretty fair.”

Shurtleff did not announce a deadline, but indicated that he would like to complete the selection as soon as possible.

Speculation is brewing, of course, as to who might apply for the interim position, as well as who will be vying in the spring primary for the two slots each for Republicans and Democrats on the general election ballot.

Though Henry is confident that Shurtleff will give adequate consideration to all applicants, he noted that Wyoming County has a unique tradition of appointing the spouses of commissioners who have died in office to round out their terms, citing the times that Mrs. Emerson Montross and Mrs. Eric Brown served as commissioners.

Dickson confirmed that Ron Williams’ wife, Ellen, is considering applying for the job. Even then, Dickson cautioned, there may not be any legal way to prevent the individual the judge appoints from deciding to campaign to keep the seat.

I don’t know what the future holds for anyone,” Dickson stated. “What if Ellen gets in there and finds that it is her calling?”

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