Butler County commissioners select interim auditor after Reynolds' conviction

Quinlan Bentley and Erin Glynn, Cincinnati Enquirer
·2 min read
Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds was convicted last week of a felony public corruption charge. He can no longer serve as auditor and the Butler County Board of Commissioners has selected a short-term replacement.
Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds was convicted last week of a felony public corruption charge. He can no longer serve as auditor and the Butler County Board of Commissioners has selected a short-term replacement.

The Board of Butler County Commissioners on Thursday morning appointed a temporary replacement for county auditor Roger Reynolds, who was convicted of a public corruption charge last week.

Joe Statzer − who currently works as chief deputy and human resources officer in the Butler County Clerk of Courts, according to his Linkedin page − was appointed in a 2-1 vote to take over as auditor until the Butler County Republican Party selects a permanent replacement.

Reynolds was convicted on Dec. 21 of one count of unlawful interest in a public contract, a fourth-degree felony.

The charge was related to Reynolds advocating for a private golf academy at Four Bridges County Club with tax money Lakota Schools received from the auditor's office. He was acquitted of four other charges also related to public corruption.

Reynolds was reelected as the county auditor in November. Because he was convicted of a felony, he is not able to serve in that role. Convicted felons cannot hold an office of honor, trust or profit, under Ohio law.

Commissioner T.C. Rogers was the lone vote against Statzer's appointment, saying he would've preferred someone already working in the auditor's office to take the job over short term.

"I have no problem with Joe Statzer. I hold him in the highest regard," Rogers said.

Statzer, who will serve for a period of around 30 days, has previous experience working in the auditor's office and the Butler County Prosecutor's Office, Commissioner Donald Dixon said during Thursday's meeting.

"I don't think any of us were happy to be put in this position," Commissioner Cindy Carpenter said of the board's vote to fill Reynolds' seat. "It's unfortunate for the county."

The Butler County Republican Party will appoint a replacement to serve out the remainder of Reynolds' term, under state law. The law requires that the party's central committee meet to appoint a replacement between five and 45 days after the seat becomes vacant.

Butler County Republican Party Chair Todd Hall told The Enquirer last week that the party plans to wait until after Reynolds' sentencing to appoint his replacement.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Butler County picks interim auditor after Reynolds' conviction