Clerk of Courts to retire early

Lorain Clerk of Courts Lori Maiorana apparently will retire at the end of the year.

This week, Maiorana notified the city Auditor’s Office that she will step down as of Jan. 1, 2019.

Previously, Maiorana stated she intended to retire after her current term, which expires at the end of next year.

“Unfortunately, due to health reasons I am unable to complete my current term which expires Dec. 31, 2019,” Maiorana wrote in a letter to Auditor Karen Shawver. “I thank the residents of Lorain and Sheffield Lake for the opportunity to serve during the last 33 years.”

Maiorana was not available for additional comment Dec. 7.

The Morning Journal obtained her resignation letter via public records request.

In September, Maiorana announced her intention to retire.

At the time, she said she wanted to come out early as a supporter for candidate Jeff Bearer, a deputy clerk who announced he would run for the post.

This week, Lorain County Commissioner Ted Kalo announced his intention to run for the position of clerk of courts.

That would set up a Democratic

primary in spring 2019, and at least one other candidate has pulled petitions from the Lorain County Board of Elections to seek the post, according to the board.

Mallory Holmes Santiago, an assistant law director in the Lorain Law Department, took out petitions to run for the position.

It was unclear if any of them might be appointed to fill Maiorana’s unexpired term.

Once the seat becomes vacant, members of the Lorain County Democratic

Party Central Committee must wait at least five days before meeting to appoint a clerk, said Paul Adams, chairman of the Lorain City Democratic Party.

Central Committee members must appoint a successor within 15 days, Adams said.

The city party will work with the county party to convene the meeting because the Central Committee members of the jurisdiction of Lorain Municipal Court will select the successor, he said.

The jurisdiction of the court includes the cities of

Lorain and Sheffield Lake, along with Sheffield Township.

To run for the post, the clerk must live within the jurisdiction.

It was not immediately clear if an appointed clerk legally must live within the jurisdiction, Adams said.

But the Central Committee members likely would not appoint someone who was not eligible to run for the position, he said.

Bearer and Kalo could be candidates to fill the post, but no one is guaranteed the appointment, Adams said.

CITY OF LORAIN Lorain Clerk of Court Lori Maiorana shown at her desk.