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Experience goes way back for new state representative
(by Sali McSherry - February 03, 2010)
Experience goes way back for new state representative
By SALI McSHERRY
After 40 years away from the inner workings of Ohio state government, Richard R. Hollington Jr., of Hunting Valley, is heading back to the arena this week. He succeeds former state Rep. Matt Dolan, R-Russell, who resigned in January.
Mr. Hollington, 77, is a former two-term state representative who was named by the state Republican caucus to fill the one-year vacancy.
On Wednesday (Feb. 3), he was to walk into the Statehouse to be sworn in and then immediately have the opportunity to vote on the Third Frontier package that would pay for the creation of new jobs in the fields of medicine, bio-science and technology. He said he was in favor of the package, according to the information he had at hand, because it would help start-up companies and promote jobs.
When he was a state representative from 1967 through 1970, Ohio was a bustling state from a business standpoint and population growth, Mr. Hollington said. "Cleveland was the third largest headquarters city in the country. Regrettably, the state has turned around." His goal is to help revive businesses and opportunities, especially in Northeast Ohio, he said.
Back in the late 1960s, a law he supported to give communities the local option to serve liquor on Sunday barely passed. Now, the issues revolve around the loss of jobs and the decline in population.
In the early 1970s, as the first Republican law director for Cleveland in 40 years, Mr. Hollington served under former Mayor Ralph Perk, the first Republican mayor in 40 years, he said.
The first thing they dealt with when Mr. Perk became mayor was an increasing budget deficit, he said. Mr. Hollington met with elected state officials to change the law so cities could borrow money for operating purposes. Cleveland got back on track and was able to repay the money, partly through fees collected for the Cleveland Regional Sewer District established during Mr. Perk's term.
Mr. Hollington resigned Monday from serving as the elected finance director in Hunting Valley, a position he held for over six years. Like other elected officials in the village, he received no salary.
A senior partner at Baker & Hostetler LLP, a national law firm headquartered in Cleveland, Mr. Hollington has practiced law for 50 years. Previously, he served as lead director of Sky Financial Group, which is now part of Huntington Bancshares, and before that, as chairman of the board of Ohio Bank. He also served on the Ohio Banking Commission and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s advisory committee in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Dolan moved to Chagrin Falls in December with plans to run in the September primary election for the new position of Cuyahoga County executive.
State Sen. Timothy Grendell, R-Chester, announced he is seeking Mr. Dolan's former seat, while Bainbridge Township Trustee Matthew Lynch took out petitions to run for the seat.
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