Sam Snyder re-appointed to Board of DD
Lead Summary
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
Sam Snyder has been re-appointed to the Highland County Board of Developmental Disabilities, effective immediately.
The appointment was announced during a special meeting of the Highland County Board of Commissioners Tuesday morning, after a motion by Commissioner Tom Horst, a second by Commissioner Jeremy Shaffer and a 3-0 vote, including that of Commission President Shane Wilkin.
During Tuesday morning's meeting, commissioners read an informal opinion from the office of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine.
Commissioner Tom Horst said according to a letter received from AG's office just prior to the meeting, Snyder is eligible for immediate re-appointment to the Board of DD.
According to the letter from Matthew T. Green, assistant attorney general, "There are very limited exceptions to the powers granted to the appointing authority (the Highland County Board of Commissioners)."
For example, Ohio Revised Code 5126.023(B) states that all questions relating to the existence of a conflict of interest for the purpose of challenging the appointment
(shall be submitted to the local prosecuting attorney for resolution).
Thus, with the exception of ORC 5126.023(B), the "qualifications and eligibility of a prospective county DD board member are to be determined in the first instance by the appointing authority."
Snyder, a retired public school administrator and resident of Concord Township, was appointed to the Board of DD by the commissioners in January. However, in June, Board of DD Superintendent Chuck Biggert informed Snyder he was not eligible to serve.
"Chuck (Biggert) called and told me I was not eligible for the board," Snyder said during the June 28 board meeting. "He informed me that a board member must provide a written declaration of eligibility (per the Ohio Revised Code)."
Snyder said he had had no notification of this paperwork.
"I was not aware of this in January," Snyder said. "I came in, turned it in to Sherry (Morrison), who put it in the file, I guess. I don't know why this hasn't been brought up before now."
"I think there needs to be a formal policy for any new board members on this," Snyder said.
Board of DD chair Linda Allen said at the June 28 meeting she had not submitted declaration of eligibility paperwork either.
The purpose of the eligibility paperwork is to determine if a potential board member would have a conflict of interest by serving on the board.
Snyder said that he would have filled out the paperwork prior to being sworn in had he known, and that he had no conflicts with being on the board.
At Tuesday's special commission meeting, Wilkin made it clear that the problem with the paperwork in question was the commissioners' and not Snyder's.
"The issue that arose with Mr. Snyder's appointment was a problem with our office, not Mr. Snyder," Wilkin said. "We re-advertised for the position. We requested opinions from the county prosecutor and the Ohio Attorney General."
"It seemed to be a minor procedural error that we missed by accident," Shaffer said prior to the vote.
Commissioners received three letters of interest to serve on the Board of DD – one from Snyder; one from Roberta Karnes; and one from Dana Berryman.
Snyder was sworn in at 10:05 a.m. Tuesday and is eligible to serve at the Board of DD's Aug. 16 meeting.
"I'm happy with the decision," Snyder said. "Now it's time to get back to doing what we're supposed to be doing."
"This is one of the easier decisions we've had to make," Wilkin said.
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The appointment was announced during a special meeting of the Highland County Board of Commissioners Tuesday morning, after a motion by Commissioner Tom Horst, a second by Commissioner Jeremy Shaffer and a 3-0 vote, including that of Commission President Shane Wilkin.
During Tuesday morning's meeting, commissioners read an informal opinion from the office of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine.
Commissioner Tom Horst said according to a letter received from AG's office just prior to the meeting, Snyder is eligible for immediate re-appointment to the Board of DD.
According to the letter from Matthew T. Green, assistant attorney general, "There are very limited exceptions to the powers granted to the appointing authority (the Highland County Board of Commissioners)."
For example, Ohio Revised Code 5126.023(B) states that all questions relating to the existence of a conflict of interest for the purpose of challenging the appointment
(shall be submitted to the local prosecuting attorney for resolution).
Thus, with the exception of ORC 5126.023(B), the "qualifications and eligibility of a prospective county DD board member are to be determined in the first instance by the appointing authority."
Snyder, a retired public school administrator and resident of Concord Township, was appointed to the Board of DD by the commissioners in January. However, in June, Board of DD Superintendent Chuck Biggert informed Snyder he was not eligible to serve.
"Chuck (Biggert) called and told me I was not eligible for the board," Snyder said during the June 28 board meeting. "He informed me that a board member must provide a written declaration of eligibility (per the Ohio Revised Code)."
Snyder said he had had no notification of this paperwork.
"I was not aware of this in January," Snyder said. "I came in, turned it in to Sherry (Morrison), who put it in the file, I guess. I don't know why this hasn't been brought up before now."
"I think there needs to be a formal policy for any new board members on this," Snyder said.
Board of DD chair Linda Allen said at the June 28 meeting she had not submitted declaration of eligibility paperwork either.
The purpose of the eligibility paperwork is to determine if a potential board member would have a conflict of interest by serving on the board.
Snyder said that he would have filled out the paperwork prior to being sworn in had he known, and that he had no conflicts with being on the board.
At Tuesday's special commission meeting, Wilkin made it clear that the problem with the paperwork in question was the commissioners' and not Snyder's.
"The issue that arose with Mr. Snyder's appointment was a problem with our office, not Mr. Snyder," Wilkin said. "We re-advertised for the position. We requested opinions from the county prosecutor and the Ohio Attorney General."
"It seemed to be a minor procedural error that we missed by accident," Shaffer said prior to the vote.
Commissioners received three letters of interest to serve on the Board of DD – one from Snyder; one from Roberta Karnes; and one from Dana Berryman.
Snyder was sworn in at 10:05 a.m. Tuesday and is eligible to serve at the Board of DD's Aug. 16 meeting.
"I'm happy with the decision," Snyder said. "Now it's time to get back to doing what we're supposed to be doing."
"This is one of the easier decisions we've had to make," Wilkin said.
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