Commissioners blast judge over high court ruling

The auditor stepped in to defend Judge Dellick.
& lt;a href=mailto:bjackson@vindy.com & gt;By BOB JACKSON & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Political bad blood is boiling over last week's Ohio Supreme Court ruling that Mahoning County commissioners must come up with more than $2 million in additional funding for the county's juvenile and probate courts.
At their meeting Tuesday, commissioners lashed out at Judge Theresa Dellick of juvenile court, saying her budget demand was outrageous and unreasonable, even though the high court said it wasn't.
"I'm telling you right now and I would tell her to her face that I don't think she should be re-elected," Commissioner Vicki Allen Sherlock said of Judge Dellick.
The judge was not at the meeting and could not be reached later to comment. The county board of elections said her term expires in January 2005.
The juvenile court was particularly singled out as the target of Sherlock's ire because it is responsible for the largest finding against commissioners.
What happened
In December 2002, Judge Dellick issued a court order that her office be funded at $6.9 million for 2003. Judge Timothy P. Maloney of probate court also issued a court order for his budget, demanding $922,196 for this year.
Commissioners did not follow the orders, instead appropriating $4.6 million to juvenile court and $750,000 for probate court. Both judges then sued in the Ohio Supreme Court, asking that the county be made to provide the balance of their funding requests.
Commissioners have not yet announced a detailed plan, but have said they will have to cut funding to other departments to come up with the court-ordered funding. That, they said, will no doubt result in further layoffs.
Several county departments, including the commissioners, sheriff, auditor, juvenile court and Job and Family Services, have laid off workers this year because of budget cuts.
Auditor George Tablack defended Judge Dellick, arguing that she is keenly aware of the county's financial plight and has implemented cuts to stay within her budget. He said juvenile court appears to be on pace to spend only as much this year as it spent last year.
"I think she is being unfairly demonized," Tablack said.
One suggestion
Commissioner David Ludt suggested that commissioners ask the judges to amortize the additional funding, but Commissioner Ed Reese said that would only prolong the financial agony.
"It's going to be pain now or pain later," Reese said.
Commissioners said they're frustrated by the fact that even though they are designated by law as the county's budgeting authority, judges can issue court orders and compel the county to provide them with whatever funding the courts feel is necessary and reasonable.
Sherlock said commissioners will contact local legislators about seeking a change in that law, even though she acknowledged that success is a long shot.
& lt;a href=mailto:bjackson@vindy.com & gt;bjackson@vindy.com & lt;/a & gt;