< Hiring Practices Questioned, Cooks Seek Communication
 

 Read more in the Sept. 28 edition....
by Arlean Selvy
publisher

The public participation portion of last week's meeting of the Switzerland of Ohio
Board of Education brought issues to light ... but not all were addressed.

Heather Dornon aired her concern about hiring practices and Bonnie Rothenbuhler spoke on the lack of communication between classified personnel and the office of Todd Allen, director of support services. Gary Cook read a letter from the Agricul-tural Advisory Committee and
Ron Sebring had questions about buses and the district's proposed income tax.
 

< Riethmiller Seeks Position of Common Pleas Court Judge

 Photo submitted

Submitted by
Lynn Kent Riethmiller
Lynn Kent Riethmiller, a Monroe County attorney for 29 years, is seeking election to the office of Monroe County Court of Common Pleas Judge in the fall election.
Lynn and Joyce, his wife of 33 years, live on the family farm in Ohio Township. A life-long resident of Monroe County, he graduated from River High School in 1969, and received his undergraduate degree from The Ohio State University in 1974. He later attended law school at The Ohio State University, receiving his law degree in 1977.
After graduation and receiving his license to practice law, Riethmiller had the opportunity to commence practice in Woodsfield with long-time attorney, the late George F. Burkhart. After Burkhart's ascension to the Common Pleas Court bench in 1980, Riethmiller continued in private practice for 24 years.
During this time, he was involved in most areas of law including a civil practice in real estate, oil and gas, banking, business relationship, estate planning, probate, juvenile, family and domestic law and civil litigation. Additionally, he engaged in criminal defense practice, having served as Monroe County Public Defender for 13 years.
Riethmiller has been a member of the Ohio State Bar Association since 1977 and has been a past member of the Ohio Trial Lawyer's Association. He is a long-time member of the Woodsfield Kiwanis Club and is also a member of the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce.
In 1996, Riethmiller had the opportunity to run successfully for Prosecuting Attorney and has held that position since January, 1997. He continued in his experience with criminal law and gained additional experience in civil issues affecting governmental entities and political subdivisions. Since serving as Prosecuting Attorney, Riethmiller has been a member of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorney's Association.
He has served as solicitor for the villages of Beallsville, Clarington and Woodsfield.
"I am excited to have the opportunity to run for the office of Common Pleas Judge," said Riethmiller. "I believe the position and the county are best served by a judge who is not only fair and impartial, but who has had extensive experience in all areas of law which may come before the Court, as well as a judge who has had many years of trial experience, both
civil and criminal."

< Airport Requests Exemption

 

 

 

Read more in the Sept. 28 edition....
by Arlean Selvy
Publisher

Weights and measures are 'right on' and repairs  have been made at Monroe County Airport, which has been given approval to sell fuel for a 14-day period. Approval was effective Sept. 19.
The Airport Authority Board is now seeking an exemption from the director of the Division of Agriculture due to the the inability of the airport's equipment to compute and display sales over 99 cents a gallon.
According to Wayne Forshey, member of the Airport Authority,  they have replaced two
hand pumps,  a 50-foot aviation fueling hose, purchased a new dispensing pump nozzle
and a reconditioned fire extinguisher.

<GMN Seeks Administration of County's Senior Programs

Read more in the Sept. 28 edition....
by Arlean Selvy
Publisher
For nearly 14 months, GMN Tri-County CAC has administered Monroe County's senior services program. At a Sept. 18 meeting with county commissioners, Gary Ricer, executive director, GMN, asked commissioners to consider allowing GMN to not only administer the program, but place it under GMN  rather, than under county commissioners, as service  provider.
Commissioners this week took action that will open the door for GMN to bid and replace the county as the services provider.
Ricer, at the Sept. 18 meeting, said if GMN became the service provider nothing would change. All employees would remain at their current status; GMN would continue to take
direction and guidance from county commissioners. He said employees would be under GMN as opposed to being county employees.

<The Original C&M Pizza Returns

Hoss and Tammy Hudson, new owners of Hudson's Pantry, formerly The Swiss Pantry, have brought back the original C&M Pizza. They will also carry bulk food items and baked
goods.    Photo by Martha Ackerman
 

by Martha Ackerman
Staff Writer
"The original C&M Pizza is back," say Hoss and Tammy Hudson, the new owners of Hudson's Pantry, located on SR145, near Beallsville. The couple has brought back the long-time favorite pizza sold by Bob and Jean Wilson when the business was called The Swiss Pantry.
"The business has had several owners," says Hoss, "but it just hasn't been the same."
So, the couple wants to bring back the original pizza shop and bulk food store with a few added extras.

< Obituaries
(read the full obituary in the paper) 

 Read more in the Sept. 28 edition...
<Gladys M. Cline, 88, Beallsville, formerly of Powhatan Point Born Oct. 25, 1917.
< Henry L. King, 63, Wooster
Nov. 25, 1942- Sept. 19, 2006
< Angela R. Kowalczuk, 87, Woodsfield
July 19, 1919- Sept. 20, 2006
< Ona P. Tallman, 95, Woodsfield
Nov. 30, 1910-Sept. 19, 2006.
<Audrie C. Hall, 86, Rinard Mills
April 13, 1918-Sept. 22, 2006
<Emmit Eugene Cline, 73, Beloit
Sept. 26, 1932-Sept. 18, 2006

< Letters to the Editor
 

    Dear Editor:
After reading last Thursday's Beacon article entitled "Citizens Approach Board for
Answers and Get Questioned," I felt that I had to respond. First, I would like to commend
Arlean Selvy, Gwynn Clifford and the entire Beacon staff for their outstanding commitment
to presenting the news of Monroe County in an honest, complete and unbiased manner. My
hat is off to you in performing this daunting task so professionally, don't ever stop!
I was greatly disturbed and appalled by what transpired at the Commissioners'
meeting that was reported in the Sept. 21 issue of the paper. It would seem that even
though there was mention of what constitutes "Public Service," our elected officials, the
Commissioners, mentioned in the article don't have a clue to what it really means. I was
ashamed to have to say these men are our County Commissioners.
I am proud to come from a family that has provided true Public Servants to Monroe
County for over 50 continuous years as elected office holders. Many people have heard the
story I tell about my mother, Lena E. Neuhart Forshey's dedication to public service. She was
Monroe County Recorder for 28 years. The story concerns my mother interrupting a holiday
meal to open the Recorder's Office as a result of a request from former county residents for
information contained in her office. They had parents who were still residing in the county.
Mom got up from the table and opened the office because she was a Public Servant. She
realized every day that she held office because of the public's faith in her. She always made
it a point to put the public first and realized who she worked for and was thankful for the
job! My mother and the other members of my family in public service were and are good
and faithful stewards of the offices entrusted to them by the electorate
It is a shame that more citizens of Monroe County have not been present at the
Commissioners' meetings. I have had the opportunity to attend them over the past few
months and it's been an education. True public servants and good stewards of the public
trust don't attack citizens who seek answers to honest, serious questions. I've seen that
happen more than once. Citizens who ask serious questions don't expect or deserve to be
told to go and get the answers for themselves, much less to be told to "state a reason, leave
information and expect an answer in a timely manner." It's totally inappropriate for them to
be attacked after they have acquired the answers themselves and then presented them to
the Commissioners. This has happened on issues as various as River Ridge, Cleveland Time
Clock, the Sunshine Laws of our state, not to mention the electronic media question.
I've attended the meetings and witnessed the same questions being asked week after
week and seen them not answered in a "timely manner." It seems to me that some of the
questions are still unanswered. Citizens don't deserve to be accused by a Commissioner of
"wasting our time and taxpayer money," and "not having gotten the facts" or that their
questions about seemingly inappropriate or illegal meetings being "politically motivated."
It's the Commissioners job to answer the questions.
If Mr. Block or Mr. Hudson are feeling uncomfortable by the questions asked at their
meetings, they need to realize they caused the heat themselves by their actions. I've
witnessed the reluctance to answer questions. I've witnessed the inappropriate cancellation
of a published public meeting. I've witnessed the accusation by one commissioner of
"getting in his face" and the vehement reaction of another Commissioner to the questions
asked by a county employee regarding the chain of command with regard to who she works
for. That was a perfectly legitimate question that deserved a dignified answer that she
didn't get. I've witnessed the low tone of conversation in the meetings that makes it difficult
for one with normal hearing to follow what is taking place as it happens. That's why a
member of the public made the offer of $100  at a meeting (which was accepted) to get the
audio recording equipment repaired so that at least the tapes will be understandable.
Yes, it's unfortunate that more citizens don't have the time to see their government at
work in a Commissioners' meeting. If they did, I think they would be able to attest that
Dennis Ward, Ed Vargo, Dan Greenlee and Jeff Woodell are truly interested in the welfare of
Monroe County and its citizens. That's their agenda, not playing politics or for personal
gain. Yes, Misters Block and Hudson have done a pretty fair job of painting these citizen
advocates with the broad brush of being radicals and shit-stirrers, but if the public had the
opportunity that I've been given, they would understand and see the truth.
In conclusion, I would like to recall the words of another radical shit-stirrer, Benjamin
Franklin. Here's the story: "At the close of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia on
Sept 18, 1787, a Mrs. Powel anxiously awaited the results, and as Benjamin Franklin
emerged from the long task now finished, asked him directly: 'Well Doctor, what have we
got, a republic or a monarchy?'
"'A republic if you can keep it,' responded Franklin."
To Mark Forni, Dennis Ward, Ed Vargo, Dan Greenlee and Jeff Woodell, I'd like to say
thanks for helping us keep our republic. Keep up the good work! I'm proud to know you! To
the citizens of Monroe County: become informed, involved and vote. That's the only way we'll keep our republic and give Monroe County a bright future.
Respectfully,
Wayne A. Forshey
Son of Sam and Lena Forshey
Monroe Countians

< Around the Burnside
Denny Easterling~ Lewisville