MANSFIELD — Richland County commissioners on Tuesday appointed Denise Ruhl as the acting county Clerk of Courts.
The Butler native has served as the office’s chief deputy clerk for 18 years, working for long-time Clerk Linda Frary, who recently announced she would officially retire from office on June 30 after being diagnosed with ALS.
The 52-year-old Ruhl has also filed paperwork with the Richland County Republican Party Central Committee, which meets July 13 to select a candidate to officially complete Frary’s term in office.
County administrator Andrew Keller said the job will be up for election in 2024. The current term ends Jan. 5, 2025. Ruhl’s term as acting clerk officially begins Saturday.
The deadline for applicants with the local GOP is Friday at 5 p.m.
One of Frary’s first decisions when she was first elected in 2004 was to hire Ruhl as her chief deputy. The two had worked together since 1996 in the courts and Ruhl remained with Frary for the past 18 years.
Frary has said she hopes her long-time friend gets the clerk’s position on a permanent basis.
“Denise has the best work ethic I have ever seen. She has the energy that I have lost completely,” Frary said earlier this month.
Ruhl said she has been a county employee for 30 years, starting in the clerk of courts office in 1993 under former Clerk Phil Scott. She moved over to work with the Common Pleas Court General Division judges in 1996, before going to work for Frary.
“I look forward to a continued, exciting adventure,” said Ruhl, who still lives on the family farm on which she grew up, before before studying accounting through Bradford Business College.
“I have always enjoyed the people,” Ruhl said when asked what she finds most interesting about her work.
She has headed the criminal section of the office in her role as chief deputy.
“I deal a lot with the indictments, bonding aspects, working closely with the sheriff’s department (and) prosecutor’s office. Just working with the other departments has been an enjoyment that I’ve had over the years,” Ruhl said.
Also on Tuesday, commissioners approved a request from county Engineer Adam Gove to advertise for bids on a project to widen and improve 1,800 feet of Noble Road near the newer entrance to the landfill operated by Rumpke.
Gove told commissioners in May this particular section of road was never upgraded to handle the amount of truck traffic it receives.
“I believe we get over 400 trucks a day through that section of roadway,” Gove said. “It’s in terrible shape. We’ve actually had the road closed for about a year.”
Commissioner Cliff Mears said the estimated construction cost is $686,146.50 and the work should be complete before the end of July 2024.
The county has received $280,000 from the Ohio Public Works Commission for the project and $150,000 from the Richland County Solid Waste District. Commissioners approved $235,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to help cover the remaining costs.
