Commissioners split vote to hire law firm for Sheriff Jack Hall in fight over control of Lorain County 911

The Lorain County commissioners voted 2-1 Friday to hire a law firm to represent county Sheriff Jack Hall in a dispute over which of them controls emergency 911 operations in Lorain County. Commissioners Jeff Riddell and Marty Gallagher voted to hire the law firm of Wickens Herzer Panza as outside legal counsel for the Lorain County Sheriff's Office. The firm will represent the sheriff's office in a dispute with the commissioners "in association with issues involving emergency 911 operations and regional emergency communications matters," according to the board's agenda. Casting the lone "no" vote, Commissioner David Moore criticized Hall's request. "I don't see a purpose for this," he said. "I think it's very clear who runs 911. I think it's very clear the statute says who runs 911. I think it's clear who's in charge of the communications at 911. And I find this extremely insulting and a waste of taxpayer funds." Hall said Monday he would meet with his attorneys for the first time the next day. Operations at 911 "was a concern while I was running for office" in 2024, said Hall, who said he and Rich Resendez, his Democratic opponent in the race, both "were willing to make changes at 911." Riddell, Gallagher, Moore and Hall are Republicans. Riddell said Friday there are "some issues between the new sheriff and the commissioners for 911 ... some operational issues that the new sheriff has raised that likely come from a new pair of eyes on something. "I don't see the need for this, but nonetheless the sheriff has the right to put this resolution on the agenda," Riddell said. "He has done so and we owe him the obligation to process it and we are going to do that." The board also has retained counsel for legal advice, Riddell said. He added that he hoped it wouldn't end up in court but in an agreement on who has the authority and responsibility for Lorain County's emergency 911 system. Gallagher said the matter didn't "sit well" with him. State law says the board has the authority to hire legal counsel to represent an elected official or office, even when they might be in a dispute with the board. Moore and Riddell voted against hiring legal counsel in March 2024 for then-sheriff Phil Stammitti, a Democrat, in a legal dispute over control of Lorain County 911. Former Commissioner Michelle Hung, also a Republican, cast the lone "yes" vote on that matter. In that case, the men voted against hiring the law firm Isaac, Wiles & Burkholder and attorney Charles Schneider to represent Stammitti in the matter. The Lorain County Prosecutor's Office, which by law represents both the commissioners and the county sheriff, removed itself from the fight to prevent a conflict of interest. That disagreement was over whether Stammitti waived his legal right to control the 911 system and emergency radio infrastructure in Lorain County. Stammitti argued Ohio law says the county sheriff in any county with a population less than 750,000 "shall operate the countywide public safety communications system." He first approached the commissioners with his claim in February 2024. They hired an attorney to fight it, but refused to hire one for him. Representing the board at the time, attorney Matt Dooley said commissioners had been running Lorain County 911 with Stammitti's "express written consent" since 2011. Stammitti and the board "operated consistent with the (agreement) and the notion that all operational responsibilities were controlled exclusively by the board" since that time, Dooley wrote in an opinion on the board's behalf. Stammitti's request for appointed outside counsel was signed by the six Common Pleas judges in August 2024. No lawsuit or legal action was filed. Moore said Stammitti's attorneys billed taxpayers $40,000. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.