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Commissioner Young retiring in mid-term
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - April 18, 2012)
Commissioner Young retiring in mid-term
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Geauga County Commissioner William Young announced last week that he will step down from the position he has held the past 9 1/2 years, effective June 30.
"At this point, as I am getting older, my responsibility is getting a little more challenging for me," he said. "I just think it's time."
Mr. Young, 72, said he strived during his tenure to keep a watch on waste and made safety and security a priority for the county.
"I am honored that I was fortunate to get involved at the county level," he said. He has prided himself on being a conciliator when approaching the county's problems, he said. "I always tried to listen to all sides."
Mr. Young was a reluctant politician. After working as an executive in the health-insurance industry, he said, he was approached about an opening on South Russell Village Council. "I said, 'What do I know about that?'" he said, recalling his reaction.
But he accepted the challenge and went on to serve three years on council before being elected as the village's mayor and serving in the position for 12 more years.
Mr. Young then was approached to run for county commissioner, he said, and he questioned his qualifications again. "I said, 'All I know is the southwest corner of the county,'" he recalled. "The village was much smaller at that time, and I would get a complaint once a month, something like, 'I saw a pothole.'"
Mr. Young did accept that next challenge and worked to educate himself about the rest of the county. He said he attended meetings in every township twice to familiarize himself with the people and their issues.
After winning election as county commissioner in 2002, he was unchallenged for re-election in 2006 and 2010.
Geauga County Administrator David Lair said Mr. Young is "a complete professional in every sense of the word."
He said Mr. Young was always constructive in his approach to governing and looked to build collaboration with everyone he worked with. He brought a stability to county government, one of the most important factors businesses look at before deciding to locate here, Mr. Lair said.
Fellow Commissioner Mary Samide agreed, saying Mr. Young sought to "calm" the county in tumultuous times. "It wasn't about us," she said. "It was about making the county better. He will be sorely missed."
Commissioner Tracy Jemison said Mr. Young is a team player who brought efficiencies and policies and programs that will continue for years in the county.
Mr. Jemison said Mr. Young used his expertise in the health-care field to control costs for the county, noting that health-care costs were reduced 1 percent this year.
Mr. Young's departure will mean a temporary appointment to the seat.
Roberta Halford, director of the Geauga County Board of Elections, said there is a two-step process to fill the vacancy. Initially, the Republican Central Committee will have 45 days after the retirement to fill the vacancy.
Because the retirement comes more than 40 days before the general election, a candidate will have to run for the remainder of the unexpired term, which runs through 2014, she said. A Democratic candidate also must file a form in order to run for the seat. Independent candidates must circulate petitions and obtain 370 valid signatures before being placed on the ballot.
Geauga County Republican Party Chairman Edward Ryder said he anticipates that the central committee will decide the matter sometime in July. He said anytime a vacancy opens, people step forward to be appointed. At at least six to eight people have already expressed an interest in the post, he said.
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