Michael T. Gmoser
HAMILTON — Minutes after being appointed as Butler County’s interim prosecutor, Michael T. Gmoser was in his temporary office on the sixth floor of the Government Services Center, shaking hands with county employees and two commissioners.
“I can hit the ground running,” said Gmoser, a Hamilton defense attorney who hopes to secure the job permanently.
Commissioners voted, 2-0, Tuesday in favor of Gmoser’s appointment. Commissioner Don Dixon was absent from the vote due to an illness, according to his fellow commissioners.
Commission President Chuck Furmon said he “strongly supports” Gmoser as the next county prosecutor. Commissioner Cindy Carpenter said she remains neutral, but voted for Gmoser because of his qualifications and previous experience serving as acting county prosecutor in 1981.
The county is searching for a new prosecutor to replace Robin Piper, who was elected in November to served on the 12th District Court of Appeals. Piper’s last day in office was Monday.
Commissioners’ appointment of Gmoser is good only for the next eight days. According to Ohio law, the Butler County Republican Party Central Committee must choose the successor to finish out Piper’s term of office, which expires in 2012.
The committee will meet Feb. 8 to vote on a replacement and swear in the winner on that night.
The four people who have declared their candidacies for the office are Gmoser; Butler County Assistant Prosecutor Jason Phillabaum; former Butler County Assistant Prosecutor Lance Salyers, and West Chester Twp. Police Chief Erik Niehaus, who also is a lawyer.
Gmoser’s appointment drew criticism from those who felt he’d been given an advantage over the other candidates. Piper penned a letter to commissioners Monday advising against such action.
“My vote today takes nothing away from the authority of the Republican Central Committee,” Furmon said.
Carpenter echoed Furmon, saying, “I don’t think this will affect the outcome at all.”
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2168 or lpack@coxohio.com.
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