Two former Lucas County Board of Elections employees who submitted resumes to apply to become the agency’s director have been denied interviews for the position.
Meghan Gallagher, a former director who worked at the elections board for about 18 months, and Hans Schnapp, who was recently terminated, are among the applicants.
Ms. Gallagher also submitted a resume for deputy director.
However, neither Ms. Gallagher nor Mr. Schnapp, who are Republicans, will be interviewed for the position.
Gina Kaczala, the interim director who succeeded Ms. Gallagher in March, 2014, and LeVera Scott, deputy director who also is on interim status, applied for their jobs and will be interviewed by the elections board.
Also scheduled for director interviews are Waterville Mayor Lori Brodie; Pam Haynam, a former member of the Sylvania Board of Education, and John Kuhlman, a business consultant. All are Republicans.
Carrie Russell, a recent University of Toledo law school graduate, applied for deputy director, a position held by a Democrat because the board chairman belongs to that party.
Interviews are all scheduled for April 13.
Because of what he called a period of dysfunction that culminated in a chaotic May 6, 2014, primary election night, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted removed Republicans Jon Stainbrook and Tony DeGidio and Democrat Ron Rothenbuhler from the board. The secretary of state also placed Ms. Kaczala and Ms. Scott on interim status in June.
Mr. Husted directed the new board to make decisions on retaining Ms. Kaczala and Ms. Scott.
“We are doing what we have been told to do through the Secretary of State office,” said Elections Board Chairman Brenda Hill, who replaced Mr. Rothenbuhler.
The openings for director and deputy director were posted in February.
Ms. Hill said the elections board was advised by the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office not to interview Ms. Gallagher or Mr. Schnapp.
Kevin Pituch, an assistant county prosecutor, said Mr. Schnapp’s termination by the board in February was related to unsatisfactory performance issues, including insubordination.
“The elections board’s time is somewhat limited. I don’t know why they would want to waste their time interviewing someone they just fired,” he said.
Mr. Pituch cited a secretary of state review of the offices in 2013 by James Ruvolo and Jonathan Allison that recommended the removal of Ms. Gallagher.
Mark Wagoner, Sr., a Republican who was appointed to the board by Mr. Husted, and Ms. Hill said they and the other board members will interview candidates April 13 and a decision will follow at a later meeting.
According to his resume, Mr. Kuhlman of Sylvania Township is the founder and owner of I.C. Business Development Center, Inc., a calling center that interviews clients and sets appointments for business consultants.
Ms. Haynam of Sylvania said in her resume that she is the president of Haynam Consulting LLC, which provides technical and financial consulting services. Ms. Haynam was on the Sylvania Board of Education from 1998 to 2009.
Ms. Brodie was elected mayor of Waterville in 2011 after serving on city council from 2002 to 2009. She is the manager of her family’s optometry business.
Ms. Russell of West Toledo graduated in December from UT. She is a legal assistant for a local firm and member of the Lucas County Democratic Party Executive Board.
Ms. Kaczala joined the board of elections in 2011 as administrative assistant to the elections director. She also worked in the Lucas County Clerk of Courts and auditor’s offices.
Ms. Scott has worked for the board of elections since 2004. In addition to deputy director, she is supervisor of voter services.
Contact Mark Reiter at: markreiter@theblade.com or 419-724-6199.
First Published April 6, 2015, 4:00 a.m.
