COMMISSIONERS DOWN TO TWO CANDIDATES FOR STARK CO. CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR!

The Stark County Political Report learned a short time ago that the Stark County commissioners have narrowed their choice for chief county administrator to Brant Luther and Chris Nichols.

Commissioners will conduct a second interview of the two finalists Wednesday morning in a special executive session.

President of the Stark County commissioners Tom Bernabei told the report that it is possible that the commissioners will announce a selection at tomorrow's regular weekly meeting, it is not likely.

He said it is more probable that the announcement will be made some time within the next week.

RE:  LUTHER

Brant Luther has a number of  jobs since his first listed employment according to his Linked-In listing, to wit:

• Director, CASA/GAL [guardianship] Program Stark County Family Court
  January 2007 – Present (6 years 1 month),
• Part-Time Private Law PracticeMay 2002 – Present (10 years 9 months),
• Magistrate / Staff Attorney Stark County Probate Court
  January 2005 – December 2006 (2 years),
• County Auditor [Republican] November 2003 – December 2004 (1 year 2 months) [having been appointed to succeed current Commissioner Janet Creighton when she was elected mayor of Canton and which he lost to Democrat Kim Perez in November, 2004],
• Chief Fiscal Officer of Stark County, Ohio,
• First Ward Councilman Alliance City Council, Alliance, Ohio
  January 2000 – November 2003 (3 years 11 months)
• Law Clerk Stark County Family Court
  January 2000 – April 2003 (3 years 4 months)

In April 2011, he applied for the Stark County  judgeship that went to Rosemary Hall.

He ran an unsuccessful campaign as the Republican candidate state representative (the "old" 61st Ohio House District) in 2006.

RE:  NICHOLS

Chris Nichols is an interesting candidate mostly on the basis of his having been a Canton Township trustee (Republican) for over 12 years.   But his administrative experience has all been in the private sector.  The Report believes that the commissioners are looking to hire someone who has government administrative experience.

Here is his Linked-In listed experience:

• Director, Revenue Assurance First Communications Privately Held; 201-500 employees; FCOM; Telecommunications industry May 2002 – Present (10 years 9 months 
• Township Trustee Canton Township January 2001 – Present (12 years 1 month) Canton, Ohio Area