Ohio House could vote on Householder next week
Hopewell site faces long process
NEWARK – The chorus grows louder to expel indicted State Rep. Larry Householder from the Ohio House of Representatives, with a vote possible next week.
State Rep. Mark Fraizer, R-newark, said he expects members of the Ohio House of Representatives to cast their votes on the expulsion of Householder, R-glenford, and he believes there are the 66 votes needed to remove the former speaker, arrested in July on racketeering charges.
“My hope is there will be a vote next week and allow members to expel Householder from his position,” Fraizer said.
“Now is the time.
“We’ve been pushing. We should have the vote and should expel Householder. I’m going to vote to expel. My anticipation is it will come to the floor. I believe there will be enough (votes) to expel.”
In addition, more than a dozen Licking County Republicans signed a letter asking legislators to oust Householder.
Lawmakers in the Ohio House of Representatives can expel a member with a vote of two-thirds of legislators for “disorderly conduct,” a broad term that could cover Householder’s alleged actions.
Householder and four others were arrested in connection with a nearly $61 million bribery scheme to elect Householder as speaker, pass a $1 billion bailout for two nuclear plants and defend that law against a ballot effort to block it.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Fraizer said lawmakers first wanted to repeal the bailout for the nuclear plants and allow for changes to state public health orders before taking up the issue of Householder’s future.
The House approved both pieces of legislation on Wednesday.
House Republicans are meeting Tuesday to discuss Householder’s fate.
Fraizer, who represents the 71st Ohio House District of central, northern and western Licking County, received support from Householder in the form of television advertising against Fraizer’s 2020 Republican primary election opponent, Thad Claggett, of Newark.
The ads, Fraizer said, were purchased without his consultation or knowledge, and he believes it did not help his campaign.
Licking County GOP seeks Householder removal
A letter sent Thursday from 13 Licking County officials to Ohio House Speaker Robert Cupp asked for the removal of Householder, who continues to represent the Ohio’s 72nd House District. which includes eastern and southern Licking County.
The letter states House members have had sufficient time to consider Householder’s state of affairs.
“Over the course of the past several months, our community has felt the adverse impact of being without an effective officeholder representing House District 72 in Columbus,” the letter states.
“Due to the circumstances, we ask that you and your colleagues exercise your constitutional authority and take immediate action to expel Mr. Householder from his seat in the legislature.”
The letter was signed by eight current Licking County office-holders, all Republicans.
They are: Commissioners Tim Bubb and Rick Black; Sheriff Randy Thorp; Clerk of Courts Olivia Parkinson; Auditor Mike Smith; Treasurer Roy Van Atta; Recorder Bryan Long; and Engineer Jared Knerr.
Newark Mayor Jeff signed the letter.
Also signing were. Licking County Republican Party Chairwoman Jeanne Bolton, former Licking County Republican Party Chairman Neil Carson, Licking County Republican Party Central Committee Chairman Richard Salvage, and Licking County Republican Party Executive Committee member Beth Yocum.
A month ago, Coshocton County officials sent a similar letter, with 25 signatures, to the Ohio House speaker.
The action from a neighboring county in Householder’s district influenced local officials, Bubb said.
The district also includes all of Coshocton and Perry counties.
“I think it prompted some people in Licking County who were uncomfortable, if not unhappy with the situation, to consider something similar,” Bubb said.
“It’s time to at least take a vote. If they choose to let him remain pending a court decision, so be it.
“He’s not participating in any discussion or committee work on the budget. I’m concerned about the quality of representation. There is a message there to the speaker. I’m glad we did it. We took a stand.”
Duane Flowers, the lone commissioner who did not sign the letter, said a key factor in his decision was that Householder won reelection following his arrest.
“I’ve never really endorsed candidates in my life,” Flowers said.
“I just feel kind it’s of tacky for elected officials to endorse, and I feel this is kind of the reverse of that.
“I agree the man has probably created a mess he’s going to have to live with the rest of his life. But, people voted for him. Do elected officials have the right to try to cancel the vote of the people? I feel confident the state legislature is going to take care of it.” kmallett@newarkadvocate.com 740-328-8545
Twitter: @kmallett1958
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ROSS COUNTY – It’s been three years since Ohio’s Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks was proposed as a nomination to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
At the time, advocates for the designation were hopeful the decision would be finalized in 2021 but a new update anticipates the verdict will not come for at least another year.
It may not seem like much has been happening to move the designation forward but behind the scenes work from the Ohio History Connection and the National Park Service ensure the application dossier will be completed this summer or possibly by the fall. But with an ever-changing deadline and delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic, they don’t anticipate the application will actually be submitted to the World Heritage Committee until early 2022. Then the review won’t come until the summer of 2023. As the timeline is not fixed, it could be delayed.
“It’s standard that it’s been pushed back and there’s a reason for that. It’s a rigorous process,” said Jennifer Aultman, OHC’S director of historic sites & museums. “When they were working on the Frank Lloyd Wright nomination, that started in the ’80s. When they picked it up again, it still took another two decades to complete.”
The first step in the process for the Ohio earthworks actually began back in 2008 when they were put on a tentative list for consideration.
At the same time, the OHC began work to show that the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks – including five that are part of Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in Ross County, the Newark Earthworks in Licking County and Fort Ancient earthworks in Warren County – deserve to be on the same list as Yellowstone National Park, the Great Barrier Reef and Machu Picchu.
Another milestone came in 2018 when the nomination to become a World Heritage Site was given the green light. Aultman said that this step allowed the OHC to submit an application on behalf of the United States. While it’s referred to as an application, it’s actually a lengthy report that includes several hundred pages, maps and plans.
Five months later, the history center found itself in the middle of a legal battle with a country club in Newark over the Octagon Earthworks site.
Currently, the Moundbuilders Country Club is located on the Octagon Earthworks site and leases the land from the Ohio History Center. The history center began an eminent domain lawsuit to terminate the lease early to help with the World Heritage nomination.
In 2019, Licking County Common Pleas Court Judge David Branstool ruled that the history connection has the authority to acquire the lease by eminent domain. And last January, the Ohio Fifth District Court of Appeals rejected a Moundbuilders appeal.
Just a few months later, in July, the Ohio Supreme Court voted 5-2 to hear the case. Aultman said that oral arguments begin April 13, but there’s no timeline for when the decision will come.
The lawsuit was recently highlighted in the January/february issue of The Smithsonian Magazine – the official journal published by the Smithsonian Institution. Coverage of the subject focused on the legal battle over public access to the 2,000-year-old man-made creations. The OHC’S ability to gain ownership of the lease may impact whether or not a designation comes at all. At the very least, the OHC is expected to have a clear legal path to management.
Aultman feels optimistic about the application and believes that in a few years, the World Heritage Designation will come. But even if it doesn’t, she’s been excited to help bring awareness to the earthworks and educate the public on their importance.
The efforts have put the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks in the national spotlight and have had a positive impact on the local communities. In 2019, tourism was on the rise in Ross County – there was a 12% increase at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park specifically. It was expected to continue growing last year prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are optimistic that the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks will be on the World Heritage List in just a few short years,” said Executive Director and CEO of Ohio History Connection Burt Logan in a media release. “Our work continues to bring this prestigious recognition to Ohio.”
Once the dossier is completed, the OHC will submit it to the Department of the Interior for consultation. They make the final decision to submit it to the World Heritage Committee. The committee may meet this summer, but the earthworks decision won’t come until at least 2023.
If the sites are inducted, they would join 24 other sites within the United States.