Dayton Reporter

County of Montgomery recently issued the following announcement.

Today, after much deliberation, I have decided that I will not seek a fourth term as Judge in the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court, Juvenile Division.

It has been a great privilege to serve as Judge over the past 18 years. I am pleased to have led a number of transformative changes that have been made to better the quality of life for juveniles and families in Montgomery County.

My goal to serve the public as a Dayton City Commissioner (1988-2000) had always been to bring honest common sense to governing, focus on the needs of citizens, and encourage a nonintrusive, practical approach to government. Once elected Juvenile Court Judge by the citizens of Montgomery County in 2004, my approach to serving stayed the same, but focused on protecting and improving the lives of the children and families in Montgomery County.

I look forward to the final year of my term, in which I will continue my efforts to protect the rights and improve the experiences of all citizens who come to Juvenile Court.

Furthermore, as Administrative Judge, I will continue to be fiscally responsible to the taxpayers while meeting the ever-evolving needs of the youth and families of Montgomery County.

I want to thank all of the caring and dedicated staff I have had the honor of working with in Juvenile Court over the last 18 years, especially Eric Shafer and Jim Cole. I believe we have worked together as a close-knit family to protect the most vulnerable members of our community. The Court staff has worked tirelessly to implement my initiatives in our efforts to serve the citizens in Montgomery County.

I would like to thank the Montgomery County Democratic Party and its leadership for their confidence in me, as well as all who have supported my campaigns over the last 35 years. I would also like to thank my colleagues on the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Bench, both past and present, for their guidance and friendship, with a special thank you to Judge Nick Kuntz, Judge Helen Wallace, Judge Jeffrey Froelich, and Judge Barbara Gorman. I also thank the residents of Montgomery County who entrusted me with the honor to serve them.

Finally, I would like to thank my family for their unwavering love and support throughout my years of public service. They have all made sacrifices for me to serve, including, sadly, threats to their personal safety.

It is time to retire and pass the torch on to a new judge, who will work for justice and equality, with the goal of protecting and enhancing the lives of the children and families that Juvenile Court serves, as I have labored so hard to do for the past 18 years.

Original source can be found here.