Hamilton County clerk of courts resigning
3:41 PM, May. 20, 2011
Patty Clancy Provided
Written by
Kimball Perry
Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Patty Clancy is resigning June 1 to care for an ailing mother.
"I really need to fulfill my family commitments," Clancy, 58, of Downtown, said of her ailing 88-year-old mother.
"This is really a difficult, difficult decision for me."
Clancy, whose current salary is $100,600, has more than 30 years in public service and, as such, qualifies for retirement at two-thirds of the average of her highest three years salary.
The Republican was a probation officer before winning election in 1988 as a Colerain Township trustee. That was followed in 1997 by election as state representative, state senator in 2005, Chief Hamilton County Probation Officer in 2007 and election to the Clerk of Courts in 2008.
"I wouldn't say I'm retired from politics," Clancy said. "I never say never, but I certainly have no plans (to seek election again) and it will not be next year."
Clancy's announcement kicks off speculation as to who will fill her unexpired term that runs through 2012.
The Hamilton County Republican Party will make the announcement and chairman Alex Triantafilou said Friday it's too early to name names. An issue will be if the replacement is a placeholder until another candidate runs in the fall of 2012 for Clerk of Courts or if her replacement will be the candidate next fall.
Two Republican names likely to be considered are:
--- John Williams, the administrator of Clancy's office.
Williams is embroiled in a lawsuit that likely will be resolved in the U.S. Supreme Court. Williams, a former assistant prosecutor and director of the board of election, ran for Juvenile Court judge last fall against Democrat Tracie Hunter and won by 23 votes. But Hunter contested the state election in federal court, alleging some votes weren't counted.
Republicans might not want to appoint Williams and then make another replacement soon after that if he wins that suit and becomes a juvenile court judge;
-- Tracy Winkler, chair of the Green Township board of trustees, wife of Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Ralph "Ted" Winkler and member of the politically powerful Winkler family.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110...|FRONTPAGE