Democrats to pick new Lorain Municipal Court clerk soon

LORAIN — Democrats plan to name a replacement for former Lorain Municipal Clerk of Courts Lori Maiorana at a meeting Jan. 13. Maiorana resigned from the position, effective Tuesday, last month citing "health reasons." The Lorain Police Department has said it was investigating the former clerk for alleged improprieties while in office. Lorain County Board of Elections Director Paul Adams has said the Democratic Party Central Committee will need to appoint a replacement for Maiorana "no sooner than five days and not later than 15 days after the vacancy occurred." On Wednesday, Adams said the meeting has been scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 13 at Lorain City Hall, 200 W. Erie Ave. The appointment will be made by Democratic Central Committee members from Lorain, Sheffield Lake and Sheffield Township, which are within the jurisdiction of Lorain Municipal Court, Adams said. Lorain County Commissioner Ted Kalo announced that he planned to run for Maiorana's seat two days prior to Maiorana announcing her resignation. Maiorana previously had announced she would seek re-election; her current term expired at the end of 2019. Kalo has said he plans to submit his name as a candidate to the Central Committee to be appointed to fill Maiorana's unexpired term. Jeff Bearer, who worked for Maiorana in the clerk of courts office, also has announced his candidacy for the seat. He also plans to submit his name to the Central Committee. Mallory Santiago, assistant law director with the city of Lorain, also has shown interest in the position by pulling petitions for the primary election in May. If the Central Committee were to select Kalo to fill the unexpired term, its full membership would then be tasked with appointing a replacement to fill his unexpired term as commissioner, which is set to end in January 2021. The committee would have to appoint a replacement for Kalo within 45 days of the vacancy, Adams has said. Contact Scott Mahoney at 329-7146 or smahoney@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @SMahoneyCT.