By Wayne Gates
Brown County Recorder Amy DeClaire is no longer employed by Clermont County.
DeClaire was fired effective immediately from her position as a full time budget analyst there on Nov. 14 by a unanimous vote of the Clermont County Commissioners.
According to a statement from the Clermont County Commissioners, DeClaire was hired on Sept. 19 and began working on Oct. 8. During this time, she remained as the elected Brown County Recorder.
“At the time she was hired, she was expected to shortly resign her Brown County office,” the statement reads in part.
A story in the Nov. 15 News Democrat, which was generally available in print and electronic form on Nov. 14, pointed out that DeClaire’s employment with Clermont County as a classified employee was a violation of Ohio Revised Code 124.57 which prohibits classified employees from taking part in politics.
It was also noted in the article that the Ohio Administrative Code goes further, prohibiting “Service in an elected or appointed office in any partisan political organization;”
The OAC further states that “An employee in the classified service who engages in any of the activities…of this rule is subject to removal from his or her position in the classified service.”
The statement from Clermont County noted that “Under Ohio Revised Code, a classified employee, which DeClaire was, cannot engage in political activities.”
DeClaire’s new job became noted in Brown County political circles last week when a youtube video of her being introduced as a new Clermont County employee was posted.
The Clermont County Commissioners state that “DeClaire was introduced to Commissioners at Session on Nov. 7 along with other new employees 49 days after her hiring. Commissioners were not aware at the time that she was still in her position as Recorder. ‘As soon as I learned there was a problem, the Board of County Commissioners took action at its next session, which was yesterday, and we addressed it,’ said Commissioner Ed Humphrey, President of the Board of County Commissioners.”
Commissioner David Painter said in the statement that “Yesterday, November 14, 2018, Ms. DeClaire’s employment was terminated with Clermont County due to a violation of the Ohio Revised Code. The situation was rectified on the earliest date that the Clermont County Board of Commissioners convened. I want you to know that I stand fully accountable for this error to you, the citizens of Clermont County.”
Commissioner David Uible said, “We try to ensure that we are transparent in county government. It’s important to us. And so we acted quickly when this violation came to our attention.”
Commissioner Painter also revealed more information on his personal and later official Facebook pages with the following post.
“By now you have heard of the hiring of the Brown County Recorder into the Office of Management and Budget here in Clermont County.
Yesterday, November 14, 2018 Ms. DeClaire’s employment was terminated with Clermont County due to a violation of the Ohio Revised Code. This unfortunate situation came to my attention this past Friday, November 9th when I received a call for a Brown County Official questioning the hiring. I was unaware that Ms. DeClaire was the Brown County Incumbent Recorder until receiving the call. My understanding was she had previously held the office. The situation was rectified on the earliest date that the Clermont County Board of Commissioner’s convened. This challenge should have been caught during the interview and hiring process by our staff and I should have been informed. I can’t speak for all the Commissioners, but I want you to know that I stand fully accountable for this error to you the citizens of Clermont County. I am running the details of this event to ground and I will take whatever action is appropriate to ensure this never happens again. Good or bad I will always ensure that you are informed.”
In response to DeClaire’s new employment, an emergency meeting of the Brown County Republican Party Central Committee was called for Monday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Brown County Educational Service Center Administration Building in Georgetown.
When reached by telephone following her dismissal from Clermont County, DeClaire said that she planned to attend the meeting and hear what committee members have to say.
In an interview with The News Democrat prior to her dismissal from Clermont County, DeClaire talked about her situation and her new job.
“I accepted a position in Clermont County that came up in an office I used to work in. The opportunity came a little earlier than I would have liked, but I thought it was something I needed to explore,” she said.
She added that she planned to resign as recorder soon.
“I don’t have a hard date (to resign). Right now, I am making sure that when I leave, whoever comes in can transition as seamlessly as possible so there is no negative effect on services,” DeClaire said.
She also made it clear that she did not intend to keep both jobs for long.
“I had no intention of working two jobs for two more years. I had no intention of milking the system. I was just trying to ensure a smooth transition and make sure I was making the right decision.”
Kathleen Williams, Communications Coordinator for Clermont County, answered questions from The News Democrat about DeClaire via e-mail received on Friday, Nov. 9.
She stated that DeClaire was being paid a $61,027 annual salary based on 2080 hours per year. That’s 40 hours a week at 52 weeks.
The position of Clermont County on the appropriateness of her employment while still an elected official appeared to change between Nov. 9 and Nov. 14 when she was dismissed.
Williams responded on Nov. 9 that “The county knew that Amy was Brown County Recorder. In fact, she left the Office of Management and Budget when she was elected as Recorder. Amy was hired with the understanding that the overlap between the two positions would be on a short-term basis. It’s not unusual for recorders, especially in smaller counties, to have full-time or part-time jobs elsewhere.”
In his Facebook statement on Nov. 14, Commissioner Painter refers to DeClaire’s employment as an “error” and that “This challenge should have been caught during the interview and hiring process by our staff and I should have been informed.”