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Resident raises ethics concerns about proposed jail site; commissioner says relationships are disclosed
Summary
A resident questioned whether relationships between commissioners, the sheriff and a landowner create ethics issues for the proposed jail site; Commissioner Rittenhouse told the public she has known the landowner for years and denied hiding any connection.
An attendee at the Clark County work session raised ethics concerns about the proposed public safety building site and whether personal relationships between county officials and the landowner could violate public ethics rules.
Marti Auckerman asked why Commissioner Sasha L. Rittenhouse previously said she did not know the landowner and later stated she did; Auckerman said that apparent inconsistency and the sheriff's relationship with the owner raised ethical questions under the Ohio Revised Code. Commissioner Rittenhouse responded that she had "no reason to lie about that or try to hide it," explaining she knows the owner through cattle associations and has known him "for probably 10 years." Rittenhouse said many property owners considered for the site have some connection to county officials because of local relationships and that she had no intent to conceal ties.
The exchange left the public with unresolved questions about whether those relationships create a conflict under state ethics rules; commissioners said they would continue to follow legal and procedural steps for site selection.
