Clermont County commissioners appoint leaders, set 2025 meeting schedule; newly named president says she will resign

The Clermont County Board of Commissioners voted Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, to designate the clerk to serve as president pro tem for the reorganizational meeting, to appoint Claire Corcoran as president and Bonnie Batchelor as vice president for calendar year 2025, and to establish the board—s regular-session calendar for the year.

The nominations and votes took place under the authority cited by commissioners — Ohio Revised Code section 305.05 — which the board referenced when asking for a motion to designate the clerk to preside at the start of the meeting.

Why it matters: the votes set the board—s leadership and meeting schedule for 2025, including a weekly change to hold regular sessions on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. and a set of Monday meetings on specified dates. Commissioners also used the reorganizational meeting to recap 2024 accomplishments funded in part by ARPA money and to note priorities for the year ahead.

The board first moved to designate the clerk of the County Board of Commissioners to serve as president pro tem to conduct the reorganization meeting pursuant to Ohio Revised Code section 305.05. The motion passed on roll call with Commissioners Batchelor, Corcoran and Painter voting yes.

During nominations for president, the board received nominations for both Bonnie Batchelor and Claire Corcoran. Commissioner Painter nominated Corcoran and Commissioner Batchelor seconded the nomination. In the roll call for the appointment of Claire Corcoran as president, Commissioner Painter voted yes, Commissioner Batchelor voted yes, and Commissioner Corcoran abstained. The motion to appoint Corcoran carried by the recorded votes.

Shortly after her appointment, Commissioner Claire Corcoran told the board she did not want to serve as president. "I do not want to serve as president at this time," Corcoran said, and asked the board to accept her resignation. She said her decision was driven by her extensive outside community commitments, including involvement with America250, volunteer work with Kiwanis of East Fork, and operating without an aide — factors she said would make serving as president a disservice to the county. The transcript shows Corcoran requested that her resignation be accepted; the clerk responded that the acceptance would need to wait until the meeting completed other business.

The board then nominated and appointed a vice president. Bonnie Batchelor was nominated and seconded for the office of vice president. On the roll call for that appointment, Commissioners Painter and Batchelor voted yes and Commissioner Corcoran voted no; the motion carried, and Batchelor was appointed vice president for 2025.

The board established its 2025 regular-session schedule, saying all regular sessions will be held on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. The board also scheduled seven regular-session meetings on Mondays on the following dates as recorded in the meeting: 01/06/2025, 02/10/2025, a date listed only as "March 2025" in the public record, 04/14/2025, 11/03/2025 and 12/01/2025. Commissioners noted 12/01/2025 will replace the Wednesday meeting that week because of the County Commissioners Association of Ohio (CCAO) winter conference. The board recorded the final vote establishing dates and times with all three commissioners voting yes.

The board discussed holidays and weeks where regular meetings would not be held; the transcript lists Memorial Day week, the week of July 4, Thanksgiving week, Christmas week and possibly New Year—s week as exceptions. During the meeting a participant said the board "must have 50 regular sessions during calendar year 2025," and later the clerk stated the adopted schedule would establish 52 regular sessions; the minutes as recorded contain both figures.

Commissioners used the reorganizational meeting to reflect on 2024. The board noted American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds were used for local projects including water-line replacement, sewer extensions and road work; they also referenced a 30,000-square-foot juvenile jail facility expansion and a new highway garage along State Route 222. Commissioners said transportation projects and other infrastructure work will continue in 2025 and that they expect the Nestle Purina plant—s first rail shipment to begin this year. These statements were presented as remarks during the reorganization rather than formal actions.

No recorded vote to accept Corcoran—s resignation appears in the meeting record included in the transcript. Corcoran stated she would submit her resignation, and the clerk noted the resignation would be processed after the meeting.

Votes at a glance: - Designate clerk as president pro tem to conduct reorganizational meeting (authority: Ohio Revised Code section 305.05) — Passed (Commissioners Batchelor: yes; Corcoran: yes; Painter: yes). - Appoint Claire Corcoran as president (nomination: Commissioner Painter; second: Commissioner Batchelor) — Approved by roll call (Painter: yes; Batchelor: yes; Corcoran: abstain). Corcoran publicly stated she intends to resign and requested the board accept her resignation; no acceptance vote is recorded in the transcript. - Appoint Bonnie Batchelor as vice president — Approved (Painter: yes; Batchelor: yes; Corcoran: no). - Establish 2025 regular-session dates and times (Wednesdays at 10 a.m.; specified Monday meetings as listed) — Approved (Batchelor: yes; Corcoran: yes; Painter: yes).

What—s next: The transcript indicates Corcoran will tender a resignation that the board planned to process after the meeting; the record provided does not include a follow-up action on that resignation. The board will follow the schedule it adopted for regular sessions in 2025, with the noted holiday exceptions and the CCAO winter conference adjustment.