Wednesday, December 29, 1999
Waynesville mayor cleared of charges
He says they were 'frivolous'
BY RICHELLE THOMPSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
WAYNESVILLE — The Ohio Elections Commission dismissed on Tuesday complaints from two former village councilmen that Waynesville Mayor Charles Sanders lied in campaign materials.
The charges were “frivolous,” said Mr. Sanders, the only popularly elected black mayor in Warren County.
“They were sour grapes. They couldn't beat me at the polls, so they thought they would cause me some grief and involve taxpayer money to resolve what an ordinary apology should have.”
Elected in November for a second term as mayor, Mr. Sanders is running for Congress. A Democrat, Mr. Sanders lost in 1998 to incumbent Rob Portman, R-Terrace Park.
Pat Irelan, a former councilman who filed one of the complaints, claimed a victory despite the dismissal.
“The main purpose was to get Charles off his ego trip of using the people of Waynesville to promote his desire to be in Congress,” Mr. Irelan said. “He's got a job here in Waynesville to be the mayor, and he's not doing it.”
Mr. Irelan accused the mayor of claiming in a paid political ad that he was elected “by all in attendance to be the vice president of the Warren County Municipal League.” Mr. Irelan said the statement made it appear Mr. Sanders was elected unanimously, when, in fact, the other Waynesville council members did not endorse or vote for him.
Phil Richter, the commission's executive director, said he recommended dismissal of the charges because the campaign materials did not mislead the public or contain false information.
“While it may have been better worded in some other fashion,” Mr. Richter said, “I don't believe any misstatement included in there was material enough” to have been a violation.
A complaint by former Councilman Larry Weller alleged Mr. Sanders used a picture of council members without their permission in a campaign pamphlet.
The picture did not imply endorsement — “I can't read as much into it as Mr. Weller would have tried to do,” Mr. Richter said.
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