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Move all but secures former rep’s future

Glenn Holmes’ attempt at secrecy in his move to better himself while refusing to be open and honest with the constituents who voted him into office is a clear example of why voters so often are soured with government.

It’s clear the Democrat elected to serve Ohio’s 63rd House district just six months ago decided it was more important to secure his own future than continue to work toward the goals he promised voters this past November and in 2016 when they first elected him to the office.

Since we started reporting in March that Holmes had applied for a vacant Ohio Parole Board seat and his planned resignation from the statehouse, Holmes has gone silent, refusing to return our calls as we worked to relay his plans to his constituency. Certainly, they had a right to know, and we had a duty to ask. Holmes, apparently, disagreed.

We are puzzled by that because after serving in a grassroots political setting — as McDonald village mayor for more than nine years and as McDonald council president for four years previously — he would have understood the importance of communicating with his constituents.

We’d be remiss if we also didn’t question his qualifications to serve on the Ohio Parole Board.

According to the parole board’s website, members “must be qualified by education or experience in correctional work, including law enforcement, prosecution of offenses, advocating for the rights of victims of crime, probation or parole, in law, in social work, or in a combination of the three categories.”

Holmes’ qualifications, however, appear to fall short.

He had worked as a substation inspector for Ohio Edison from 1982 to 2016. To be fair, however, he apparently did work as an evidence / records clerk for the FBI in Cleveland for about a year ending in 1980, according to his past campaign literature.

In applying for the position, Holmes listed, in part, as relevant experience on his resume: chief law enforcement officer (mayor) of McDonald; presiding officer of the mayor’s court in the village; help do with background investigations for the FBI; is knowledgeable of criminal justice systems and state and federal laws regarding adult felons and youth offenders and counseled; and provided rehabilitation and prison ministry services to inmates and youth offenders at a correctional facility.

In taking on the new role, also funded by taxpayers, Holmes also will enjoy a nice raise. The base pay for a state representative is $63,007. However, the base salary for Ohio Parole Board members, his new job, is $76,600.

Like many career politicians, he has managed to secure an all-but-guaranteed job for the next six years. At age 61, we suspect that will be enough time for Holmes to have shored up his state pension, but he would have an option to be renewed for a second six-year term.

Already local residents, particularly many already holding local elected office, are lining up to be considered for his vacated 63rd district seat in the statehouse. That decision will be made as early as next month by the Democratic caucus in Columbus.

Yes, it’s no wonder why voters become embittered.

editorial@tribtoday.com

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