Barberton council launches effort to remove mayor

Barberton Mayor William Judge

By BOB MOREHEAD
BGNN senior staff writer

BARBERTON  In a move that shocked the Magic City, Barberton City Council voted at its April 13 committee work session to start the process to remove Mayor William Judge from office.

Council president Shorter Griffin initiated the resolution and the vote was 6-2 in favor, with members Julie Miller and Bryan Poorman dissenting.

Councilwoman Emily Beck read a statement she’d prepared, saying that Barberton is suffering from a broken heart and that her vote was from “a deep sense of duty to the people.”

She asked Judge to resign for the city’s best interest.

Council provided no reason for the move and none was forthcoming in the days following.

“This is a very difficult time for everyone,” Barberton law director Lisa Miller told BGNN. “I understand everyone’s desire to know but there is a process we have to follow.”

“I was not present at the executive session of council which discussed this issue and at this time, I have not received the charges required by charter upon which the action to remove an elected official is to be based,” Judge said in a release April 16.

“So, at this time, I’ll forgo making any substantive comments about the allegations until a point when I know exactly what they are. For now, it is important that the correct process established by the Charter is followed so as to fairly address any concerns of council and also protect the rights of those currently holding elected office,” according to the prepared statement. “I welcome the opportunity to respond to any concern of council and any asserted ground for my removal from office. In the meantime, I will continue to serve the residents of Barberton. My main priority in serving our great community is to continue leading with transparency and integrity.”

The law director said the list of charges, prepared by an outside law firm, would be presented to Judge sometime next week, at which point they would be public record. The mayor will then have 15 days to prepare his case before a hearing before city council.

Council will then vote on removal with a two-thirds majority required to enact. Should that happen, Griffin would serve the remainder of the term. Since Judge has fewer than two years remaining in the term, no special election would be held.

The Democratic mayor is a little over halfway through his fourth term, having survived a recall petition in 2020 and narrowly winning re-election in 2023. For half his third term he faced a GOP supermajority in council, with things more or less smooth, if occasionally challenging. His own party resumed control in January after winning last November’s election and is trying to oust him. This follows two no-confidence votes regarding the Parks Commission’s handling of the parks director’s arrest and censuring one of their own for interrupting a citizen during public comments, all in the first four months after seating.