Twinsburgbulletin.com - Zeno Carano wins clerk job in Falls Municipal court race

by Mark R. Potter

Regional Editor

Cuyahoga Falls -- Improving the computer software system and preparing the Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court for its 2009 move to Stow is at the top of Incumbent Clerk Lisa Zeno Carano's priority list, after she won the Nov. 6 general election for the post.

After a highly contested race for the Clerk of the Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court, Zeno Carano secured 54.5 percent of the votes to retain the seat Nov. 6, according to final but unofficial results from the Summit County Board of Elections. Results are set to be certified Nov. 27.

The Tallmadge Democrat received 22,783 votes to opponent state Rep. John Widowfield's 19,020 votes (45.5 percent) to complete the unexpired six-year term ending Dec. 31, 2009.

Zeno Carano was appointed in April to fill former clerk Eric Czetli's seat. Czetli stepped down earlier this year to take a job with the Ohio Department of Transportation.

"I'm very grateful to the voters of the municipal court district that they have confidence in me to continue to be their Clerk," Zeno Carano said the morning after the election.

Widowfield, a Republican representing District 42 for the Ohio House, said he believes the court has been "poorly run" since Carano took over the post.

"I've got an anti-tax record and I offered voters that I would reduce the budget," Widowfield said Nov. 7. "If people want the alternative ... God bless them, this is America. The voters have spoken and they're going to get what they elected."

Zeno Carano said she believes her "positive campaign" contributed to her successful quest for the post.

"I have spent a lot of time knocking on doors and speaking at candidate nights talking to people about my experience in the court system," Zeno Carano said. "I think voters were really attuned to what was going on in this election."

Widowfield said he is not sure whether he will run for the State House again for one more two-year term that he is eligible for since he was appointed in 2001. His term would expire in 2010.

"I'm truly blessed. I've got the greatest wife and kids in the world and I've still got the opportunity to serve the people as a state representative," Widowfield said.

According to Cuyahoga Falls Finance Director Joseph Brodzinski, the Clerk makes an annual salary of $94,350.

Candidate dispute

Earlier in the election season, it looked like there might be several more clerk of courts candidates on the ballot. Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner declined to certify seven individuals filing to run as Independent candidates in the race, breaking a Sept. 25 tie vote by the Summit County Board of Elections. Brunner, a Democrat, sided with the Board Democrats, stating in an Oct. 5 letter that the candidates did not file in a "timely" manner by the June 28 filing deadline.

Local Democrats alleged that six of the seven Independent petitioners were really Republicans trying to take votes away from Zeno Carano. Brunner did not address that allegation.

About the court

The Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court is responsible for receiving and processing court cases from 16 different communities: Boston Heights, Boston Township, Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson, Macedonia, Munroe Falls, Northfield, Northfield Center Township, Peninsula, Reminderville, Sagamore Hills, Silver Lake, Stow, Tallmadge, Twinsburg and Twinsburg Township.

By 2009, the Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court is expected to relocate from its Second Street location to Steels Corners Road near Route 8 in Stow, and change its name to the Stow Municipal Court.