MOUNT VERNON – Members of the Knox County Republic Party Central Committee will select a replacement to serve out the Mount Vernon City Council term of Tanner Salyers, who resigned to accept the appointment as county recorder.
Salyers announced his resignation from City Council after the Knox GOP Central Committee voted for his appointment as recorder on Tuesday, June 8. The committee initially thought they had more time to find a replacement for the retiring John Lybarger.
“When John Lybarger let us know he was going to retire, we didn’t have a date,” Knox County GOP Chair Thom Collier told the Mount Vernon News. “We knew we would have to get a replacement but thought it would be at the end of his term in three years.”
The county recorder keeps vital real estate records and tracks all encumbrances or liens upon the property, Collier said. It is a full-time position, and its approximately $62,000 salary is set by the Ohio Revised Code.
Salyers was one of five candidates interviewed for the position.
The new appointee will need to run to fill the remainder of Lybarger’s unexpired term in 2022, and then again in 2024 for a full four-year term.
Some points in Salyers’ favor for the nomination were his experience on City Council and on the ballot, experience that Collier said would be valuable for someone having to run for the office twice in three years.
Mount Vernon Law Director Rob Broeren confirmed the process to appoint Salyers’ replacement on City Council under Ohio Revised Code.
“Mr. Salyers’ replacement for the remainder of his current term will be selected by the members of the Knox County Republican Central Committee who live in the city of Mount Vernon, pursuant to ORC 731.43(B) and (C),” Broeren said.
Salyers also withdrew his candidacy for a City Council at-large seat in the upcoming November election. Collier said the Knox GOP Central Committee can name a replacement for him on the ballot as well, with an Aug. 9 deadline.
“Amber Keener is a current at-large GOP candidate and is the natural choice for my replacement,” Salyers told the News. “She has my support.” Keener is already on the November ballot for an at-large council position.
“This is full-time, and I intend to be a very hands-on recorder and not just a distant figurehead,” Salyers said. “I will roll up my sleeves and work right alongside the team.”
He first became interested in the county recorder’s position during a high-school visit to the Ohio county courthouse.
Salyers will leave his position at Newark City Schools, but he won’t completely leave education. He plans to maintain his part-time contract with GOAL Digital Academy.
