More office-seekers file to appear on May primary ballot

Only three more business days remain for hopeful political candidates to file their petitions to appear on the ballot in the May primary election. The filing deadline for partisan political candidates, local questions and issues is 4 p.m. Wednesday. Those wishing to vote in the May 2 primary must be registered by April 3, according to the Ohio Secretary of State's Office. Early, in-person absentee voting begins April 4. On Friday, Avon attorney Paul Kocsis filed his petition to run for Avon Lake Municipal Court judge as a Republican. He will face fellow Avon Republican Allison Manning in the May primary. Democrat Geoff Smith also has entered the race, but he has yet to see a challenger in the Democratic primary. Kocsis has been a magistrate in the Lorain County Domestic Relations/Juvenile Court since 2103. Prior to that, he was an attorney in private practice and court-appointed counsel. Kocsis also is a judge advocate general or JAG officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Ohio Army National Guard with more than 25 years of military service. He was deployed to Iraq and Kosovo, and in 2022 was twice sent to Hungary to meet with and provide legal lectures to Hungarian Defense Force leadership and service members. "I am honored to be able to appear before the residents of Avon, Avon Lake, and Sheffield Village to continue my service to my country and community," Kocsis wrote in a news release. "My experience as an attorney in private practice, as a magistrate, and as a soldier have provided me with great experience and professionalism that I will bring to the Avon Lake Municipal Court." Kocsis is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association and Ohio Association of Magistrates; past chair for the Juvenile Law Section of the Lorain County Bar Association; a member of the Avon/Avon Lake VFW Post No. 7035, where he is currently junior vice commander; and a member of American Legion Post 211 in Avon Lake. A little league and youth soccer coach for 20 years, he is a licensed youth soccer referee and a member of the Avon Band and Orchestra Boosters. Kocsis and his wife, Leanne, have four sons: Joshua (daughter-in-law Alexia), Elijah, Christian and Luke. He is a graduate of Keystone High School, Boston University and the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University. Voters in Elyria's 3rd Ward also will see a familiar name on the ballot after former city safety service director Mary Siwierka announced her intent to run as a Democrat for that council seat, currently held by Republican Maurice Corbin III. In a news release, Siwierka said she has had 40 years' experience working with local government, and her family has lived in the 3rd Ward since the late 1970s so "we have seen it change, grow and develop over these years." "I have spoken to many friends and neighbors in the Third Ward. Some are concerned with traffic issues, housing stock, safety or the overarching issue of the delivery of city services that we all deserve," she wrote. "I am confident that all of us want to make Elyria a better place to live and raise a family. I believe more focused strategic planning and oversight are needed in the southeast quadrant of the city — and I offer the right mix of public and private sector experience to the role of council representative." Siwierka noted that the 3rd Ward stretches nearly to the city's border with North Ridgeville and also borders several townships. "The logistics of service delivery is missing, and traffic issues are just going to multiply with the projects planned for the Chestnut and (state Route) 57 area," she wrote. "I am uniquely qualified to ask the right questions and seek the answers to some of these growing pains." Siwierka currently is human resources director for the city of Avon Lake, overseeing more than 150 employees, their benefits and labor issues and training needs since 2020. She plans to leave that job when Avon Lake Mayor Greg Zilka's term ends in December 2023 "and will have the time necessary to serve in this council seat," she wrote. Siwierka graduated from Tiffin University, and has professional credentials from Cleveland State University — where she also is an adjunct instructor — the International Public Management Association for Human Resources and Case Western Reserve Weatherhead School Leadership Program. A graduate of Leadership Lorain County, she served in Elyria as a councilwoman-at-large from 2010-11 and as safety service director from 2012-19. Siwierka also worked for the Cleveland Clinic as a department administrator, and she and her husband, Gary, have been married for 44 years with one adult son. Siwierka's brother is Elyria Fire Chief Joe Pronesti. "My goal, over these next few months, is to hear from third ward residents, get up to speed on pending projects, and seek ways to better support the delivery of services to the residents of the third ward," she wrote. Matthew Van Wormer, a branch manager for Huntington Bank, also filed petitions on Thursday to run for Elyria's 1st Ward Council seat as a Democrat. The seat currently is held by first-term Councilman Andrew Lipian, an independent. Van Wormer first announced his intent to run in a public post to Facebook on Nov. 25. In a public Facebook post on Thursday, he wrote that it was just the first step "of many to come," including a new Facebook page, events, "and how you can help me become the new representative for Elyria's First Ward!" "Thank you to everyone who signed my petitions and I look forward to hearing from residents about their wants, needs and concerns regarding Elyria. It's time for Elyria to make some Progress. Let's get after it!!!" Van Wormer wrote. Those who had filed petitions to run in the May primary as of 4:39 p.m. Friday were: Amherst Mayor: Mark Costilow, incumbent, RepublicanLaw Director: Anthony Pecora, incumbent, Democrat3rd Ward council: Jake Wachholz, incumbent, Democrat4th Ward council: Matthew Nahorn, challenger, Republican Avon Lake (nonpartisan) Mayor: Mark Spaetzel and Karl "K.C." Zuber 2nd Ward council: Jennifer Fenderbosch, incumbent4th Ward council: David Kos, incumbentBoard of Municipal Utilities: John Dzwonczyk and Dana Schnabel, incumbents Avon Lake Municipal Court Judge: Geoffrey Smith, Democrat; Paul Kocsis and Allison Manning, Republicans. Elyria Mayor: Kevin Brubaker, challenger, Democrat; Alice Gobeille, challenger, RepublicanFinance Director: Ted Pileski, incumbent, DemocratLaw Director: Amanda Deery, incumbent, DemocratCouncil-at-large: Thomas Callahan, Vic Stewart and Phil Tollett, incumbent Democrats; Ray Noble, challenger, Republican1st Ward council: Matthew Van Wormer, challenger, Democrat2nd Ward council: Brenda Davis, incumbent, Democrat 3rd Ward council: Mary Siwierka, challenger, Democrat; Maurice Corbin III, incumbent, Republican4th Ward council: Kenny Oswald, incumbent, Democrat5th Ward council: Kim Black-Brown, challenger, Democrat6th Ward council: Donna Mitchell, incumbent, Democrat7th Ward council: Jack Cerra, incumbent, Democrat Elyria Municipal Court Clerk: Eric Rothgery, incumbent, Democrat Lorain Mayor: Jack Bradley, incumbent, Democrat; Mary Springowski, challenger, DemocratLaw Director: Patrick Riley, incumbent, DemocratCity Council President: Joel Arredondo, incumbent, DemocratCouncil-at-large: Dan Given, challenger, Democrat1st Ward council: Beth Henley, incumbent, Democrat5th Ward council: JoAnne Moon, incumbent, Democrat7th Ward council: Mary Spellacy, challenger, Democrat8th Ward council: Joshua Thornsberry, incumbent, Democrat North Ridgeville Mayor: Paul Wolanski, challenger, Democrat1st Ward council: Holly Swenk, incumbent, Republican2nd Ward council: Dennis Boose, incumbent, Democrat3rd Ward council: Bruce Abens, incumbent, Republican4th Ward council: Genevieve Flieger, challenger, Democrat; Clifford Winkel, incumbent, Republican Sheffield Lake (non-partisan) Mayor: Dennis Bring, incumbent; challengers Romolo DeBottis and Rocky RadeffCouncil President; Richard Rosso, incumbentCouncil-at-large: Steve Kovach, incumbent List of issues The issues below will be given numbers at an elections board meeting in February. They are: Amherst Township: Precinct 3, local option Sunday liquor sales, Whiskeyville Golf Club. Eaton Township: The township is asking voters to approve a five-year, 2.5-mill replacement levy for fire and EMS service. Mapleton School District: The district, which is mostly in Ashland County but includes a small piece of Rochester Township in southeastern Lorain County, is seeking an additional five-year, 0.75 percent income tax to cover current expenses. Midview School District: The district is asking for a substitute 10-year, 8.69-mill levy for necessities. North Ridgeville Schools: The district is seeking an 8.32-mill, 37-year bond issue for construction and renovation of its schools. Lorain County Board of Developmental Disabilities/Murray Ridge Center: A five-year, 1.285-mill renewal levy. Elyria: The city is asking voters to renew a five-year, 0.5 percent income tax for operations. There is also a charter amendment on the ballot in Elyria. It would amend Article III, Section 3.12 of the city charter governing vacancies on City Council. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @DaveOBrienCT.