Village chief may run for sheriff

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by Colin McEwen
and Mike Sever

Reporters

Ravenna -- As of the Jan. 4 Board of Elections filing deadline, there are two Portage County races on the Democratic side in the March 4 primary. And in one of them, Reminderville's police chief is seeking the nod for the county sheriff's post.

Reminderville Chief Jeff Buck and David Doak will meet in the March 4 primary. The winner faces Sheriff Duane Kaley, an independent, in November.

Kaley has not yet filed petitions and has until March 3 to do so. He has held the sheriff's post since 1993.

Buck has been Reminderville chief since 2002, and has been involved in law enforcement since 1983. The Suffield Township resident said he is running for a more "modern approach" to policing in the county, with a focus on fiscal responsibility.

"I feel that voters of Portage County would be making a wise choice by selecting Jeff Buck as their sheriff," Reminderville Mayor Sam Alonso said. "I think he'll bring to them the professionalism and fiscal sensibility to the office."

At least one Reminderville Councilor, Steve Milano, says he was not aware Buck was running for the post as of Jan. 7. Some other village officials could not be reached for comment.

Doak was chief detective in the sheriff's office until he filed to run for the top job. The Ravenna native has been in law enforcement since 1969.

Most of the March primary races will have incumbents facing no opposition.

U.S. Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-14th District), who represents the northern tier of Portage County, Reminderville, Twinsburg and Twinsburg Township, will be unopposed in the primary, but he will be opposed in November.

Among Democrats seeking the nomination are former appellate Judge Bill O'Neill of South Russell, Dale Blanchard of Solon and John Greene Jr. of Pierpont.

Editor's note: McEwen and Sever are reporters for the Ravenna Record-Courier. Twinsburg Bulletin Reporter Ashley Heeney contributed to this story. This news was first posted on Jan. 7 at www.TwinsburgBulletin.com.