Richland County Commissioners voted Monday morning to appoint First Assistant Prosecutor Bambi Couch Page as the interim prosecutor, retroactive to Friday, Sept. 26.
This decision was made in the wake of the death of James Mayer, Jr., who served as the county prosecutor since 1988. Mayer died Friday, Sept. 26 at his Mansfield home by what officials believe to have been a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
At Monday’s meeting, the commissioners praised Mayer for his work in the prosecutor’s office and for his character.
“He worked with us through the economic downturn to make improvements and his suggestions always made good economic sense…I admired him,” said Commissioner Tim Wert.
Commissioner Ed Olson noted, “For a man who held a political office, he was remarkably non-political. When it came to the prosecuting attorney staff, he always sought out the best talent that he could find, and Judge [Brent] Robinson is an example of that.”
Commissioner Gary Utt commented, “I think he was a friend to all of us.”
Couch Page, who worked with Mayer for the past 14 years, said, “He was in a class all by himself. I never met someone quite like him.”
She shared that she is still suffering from shock because of the incident. “Based upon the circumstances, I am still in shock. I can’t express my feelings of loss, not only for myself, but for the office, and also for Richland County, because I know that Jim always wanted what was best for everybody. It wasn’t about politics; it was about making everything right, and I want to continue to do that on his behalf,” she said.
During the meeting Couch Page said she is uncertain of the reason why Mayer would choose suicide, but she said that she had recognized something was wrong, but “didn’t know it was this wrong,” she said.
She added, “We had tried to get him to talk to us and he just kept telling us he was fine. I will say knowing the man for as long as I’ve known him, I never saw this as an option. I thought there were other things coming. I thought he was going to retire. But I also had a thought there might have been a medical issue because of different things that I was seeing, but I cannot verify that. I have no knowledge that there was anything physically wrong with him.”
Couch Page noted that the prosecuting attorney staff has been offered grief counseling, “or whatever it takes to help get them through this,” she said.
On behalf of the board of commissioners, Olson commented, “I feel the board has complete confidence in Bambi. When the Child Support Enforcement Agency was created in the fall of 1988, Bambi was one of our first staff attorneys for child support enforcement cases.”
“She has a wealth of legal experience, legal education, and trial experience. I think all three of us have complete confidence that Bambi will serve with distinction,” he said.
Couch Page responded, “I appreciate your vote of confidence.”
Couch Page, who is a native of New Washington, graduated from Buckeye Central High School. She earned her undergraduate degree in secondary education from The Ohio State University. Thereafter, she attended Ohio Northern Law School, from which she graduated in 1982.
After graduation, she joined a practice in Shelby known as McKown, Schaefer, and McKown.
She later worked for the Child Support Enforcement Agency and then served as the law director’s assistant in 1992.
In February of this year she became the first assistant prosecutor after prior assistant prosecutor Judge Brent Robinson was appointed as the county’s Common Pleas judge.
Couch Page has the authority to appoint the new first assistant prosecutor.
At the meeting, the Commissioners also voted to pass a resolution authorizing the lowering of flags to half staff on all county buildings in honor and memory of James Mayer, and they should remain at half staff until after funeral services.
Because Mayer was a Democrat, the Richland County Democratic Party Central Committee is entitled to choose Mayer’s successor to serve the remaining two years of Mayer’s term, confirmed Paulette Hankins, Director of Elections. She said that she spoke with Democratic Central Committee Chair Matt Finfgeld, who informed that Mayer’s successor may be appointed at the next Democrat meeting, which is slated for Thursday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.
