By Steve Kemme
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COMPLETE COVERAGE

• Cincinnati.com Special Election Coverage

BATAVIA - Carolyn Green, who has been Clermont County recorder for 16 years, soundly defeated challenger Deborah Clepper on Tuesday for the Republican nomination for the office.

In the county coroner's race, incumbent Dr. Brian Treon defeated Dr. Raymond Lee Davidson, 70 percent to 30 percent. for the Republican nomination. Treon will run unopposed in the November general election.

Green, a Goshen resident, beat Clepper 55 percent to 45 percent in an intense campaign. Clepper is a Batavia Township trustee who has worked in the county auditor's office for eight years.

Green will face independent candidate Roger Mahan, of Williamsburg, in November.

"We just remained focused in the campaign on what we've done in office and what we're going to continue to do," Green said. "We tried to stay out of the negative approach. It's been a hard campaign."

The recorder's office preserves such documents as deeds, mortgages and plats, and makes them accessible to the public.

In the recorder's race, Clepper had accused Green of failing to provide full-time leadership.

Green defended her performance and work ethic. She said that she helped bring the recorder's office into the computer era. She said that, over time, she converted the office from a hand-written record system to a completely computerized one.

Green also deflected suggestions that she has been double-dipping at the taxpayers' expense. At the end of 1992, she and two other county officials resigned briefly so that they could begin collecting retirement benefits. It was perfectly legal then, but it drew public criticism.

Treon is completing the unexpired term of Dr. Nick Capurro, who resigned three years ago while facing a federal investigation for his work at a clinic in Adams County. Treon is an emergency medicine physician at Mercy Hospital Clermont and Mercy Hospital Anderson.

Davidson is a retired family practice physician and a former president of the Clermont County Medical Association.

E-mail skemme@enquirer.com