The case was dismissed by the court in August 2018 and his attorney, former state lawmaker Jeff Rezabek, declined to disclose why.
Young did not return messages asking to speak to him for this article.
Young, 37, is now among three candidates running for two seats on Trotwood City Council on Nov. 5. Incumbents Rhonda Finley and Robert Kelley Jr. are running for re-election.
Related: Trotwood takes vote to boost pay amid ethics review
Young’s personnel file shows he was hired as a secretary in September 2016 at $14.41 per hour. He was eventually promoted to city clerk, which paid $24.04 an hour. He received positive performance reviews.
But his arrest for domestic violence prompted an internal investigation, which uncovered a May 2016 arrest in Franklin County for drunken driving and a citation in October 2017 in Miamisburg for driving without a licenses.
The internal investigation found that Young failed to disclose his drunken driving arrest or restricted driving privileges on his Trotwood job application.
After the internal investigation, Young separated from his $50,000-a-year city job and signed a settlement agreement that called for Trotwood to pay him $12,000. He was also paid $4,407 for unused sick and vacation time and severance pay.
VOTERS GUIDE: Find out what's on your ballot this November
“I think it’s very, very shady and very deplorable for somebody like him, who did the city the way that he did, and was released the way that he was released, and that he was into so much stuff like he was, to then come back and want to run,” Kelley said.
Finley said that she didn’t want to speak directly to how Young left the city because she said it’s up to Young to share his reasons and tell his story.
She said in general, Trotwood voters should make sure they vote for leaders “with integrity, morals and ethics. Those are the types of leaders that I’m concerned for making sure Trotwood has at the helm.”
Young is aligned with incumbent Mayor Mary McDonald, who is running for re-election on the Nov. 5 ballot. McDonald provided a letter to the Franklin County Municipal Court outlining his work hours when Young applied for restricted driving privileges.
McDonald declined to talk about running with Young and his settlement with the city.
Kelley criticized McDonald for the letter, which was written on city letterhead that contained the names of all council members.
Young was born in Trotwood and told the Dayton Daily News’ Voter Guide that he is board chair for UpDayton, treasurer for Miami Valley Community Action Partnership, board member for East End Community Services and the Trotwood Disaster Relief Fund. Young is currently a student at Rasmussen College finishing his degree in public administration.
The election comes at the same time Trotwood is working to rebuild following the Memorial Day tornadoes, and city leaders are tasked with retaining residents and promoting business.
Here’s what several of the candidates had to say for the Voter’s Guide.
What will you do to keep residents in Trotwood from moving out?
Young: I want to work closer with our Trotwood Community Improvement Corporation. They are doing great work in the housing area. I believe if we work harder to get properties rebuilt and partner with our schools to keep the academics up, then we will keep our citizens in the city. We have great citizens and we want keep them all.
Kelley: I plan to continue working on economic development policies that will create sustainable wages for the community, which will in return provide the disposable income necessary to attract the type of businesses and amenities our citizens deserve.
Finley: Government bears a primary responsibility for promoting the economic redevelopment of its community. It is imperative that government continue to deploy humanitarian aid to assist with temporary/permanent housing, crisis counseling, legal services, unemployment assistance, tax abatements and other services. Securing essential resources to finance rebuilding efforts is crucial to helping individuals recover from their incredible personal loss and community devastation. I will work to strengthen Trotwood's economic position and secure a better quality of life for residents by: • exploring solutions to lower taxes • attracting/retaining businesses with high paying jobs • creating growth opportunities for retail—grocery, entertainment venues, entrepreneurs • collaborating with schools to improve academic performance.
What will you do to bring businesses to Trotwood?
Young: Our city needs a wider marketing of the available properties and incentives we can offer to those potential businesses. We need to build a stronger relationship with the State of Ohio and their JobsOhio group to help get businesses to the table. Trotwood is strategically placed for business development and growth. We have so much to offer potential businesses. Once we market better and build stronger partnerships with county and state officials, we can really grow the business base of Trotwood.
Kelley: I will continue to advocate for creating an atmosphere for business growth in our city and work with city council to utilize policies we have put in place to attract businesses like our CRA, Enterprize/HubZones, Opportunity Zone, and Tax Incremental Financing tools to spur development.
Finley: First and foremost, I will diligently support and fight for the businesses already in Trotwood. I highly support partnership initiatives to promote growth opportunities as well as workforce development – employee training, etc. As an elected official, I will work to implement strategies and seek options to attract business to Trotwood including lower taxes, among other incentives. We must find competitive strategies to attract more small businesses, encourage entrepreneurship and keep our dollars in our community by supporting existing businesses while seeking to accomplish our vision for growth and redevelopment.
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