“We had a fantastic candidate,” Vernon said. “I still don’t understand why (they) turned him down. I think there’s some problems going on. It’s an election year and a couple of them are running for office. When people run for office a lot of things can get in the way. I think we missed a big opportunity.”
Vernon said Gerson needed five votes or three-fourths council approval for the position, and he plans to ask council members to explain their vote during the 7:30 p.m. regular meeting today.
Gerson, of Kirtland Hills, was one of a pool of four administrator candidates selected by a village employee selection committee that included three council members.
Gerson is a civil engineer and is listed as the owner of William R Gray Associates, Inc. in Mentor, Ohio. He also previously served as chief design engineer of Lake County, Ohio, and service director in Concord Twp. in Lake County.
The Clark County Democratic Party selected Gerson as its candidate for Clark County engineer in 2008. His candidacy was challenged by Catawba Mayor Arlie Addis Sr., whose attorney took the case to the Ohio Supreme Court on the basis Gerson was not a Clark County resident, according to News-Sun archives.
The court found that Addis’ claim lacked merit and Gerson was allowed to remain on the ballot. But Gerson lost to Republican Johnathan Burr, who is now county engineer.
The other candidates for the job were acting village administrator Kristie Thome, Etta Royer, a Springfield attorney, and Jeff Johnson, a former assistant administrator for Clark County, Vernon said.
Elmer Beard, who was on the selection committee, was one of the three who voted against naming Gerson as the administrator.
“We didn’t feel comfortable that he was a good fit for the village,” Beard said.
Beard said Vernon must now select another candidate for the job.
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