Clerk of courts back at work
Mar 17
2011
Erie County clerk of courts Barb Johnson has returned to work, with every intention to complete her term.
Johnson said she's recovering from a serious illness that kept her away from the office for months. In the past few weeks, she came back to work on a temporary basis.
By law, Erie County's elected officials can be entirely absent from office for up to 90 days. They can also receive an additional 40 days of absence if a doctor's note proves they're ill, said Gary Lickfelt, the county's attorney.
Read more in today's Register or e-paper

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09:19 PM
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10:19 AM
John R says
FYI: The website "Clerk of Court Watch" posted an article with comments about the print edition of this article. It is worth the read. http://removejohnson.blogspot.com/ (see the article "Comments on recent SR article")
09:14 AM
Julie R. says
All one ever hears about are these online records. According to Monoghan sufficient funds exist in the clerk of court's budget to hire two more employees to focus solely on uploading court documents online. But Johnson disagrees.
"We have asked for years to get the money to put the records (online)," she said. "The clerk can't just put them on."
So who's telling the truth, anyway? I also would like to mention that Johnson's comment corresponds with what I was told by the Recorder's office. When I questioned why the recorder didn't have certain documents viewable on the recorder's website I was told it cost too much money and Erie County didn't have the money.
09:38 PM
Buff says
HIJACK!!!! Julie. Call a lawyer or file a complaint yourself, until then, you're just a disgruntled disinherited heir.
09:30 PM
Julie R. says
@ Buff:
I wish Erie County would get off their arses and get records online, too. In fact, I'm still waiting for the Erie County Recorder's office to put ALL RECORDS online..........including, but not limited to, that fraud QuitClaims deed that caused serious defects in the title to a $150,000.00 home in Huron........the one that falsely states that a forged POA concealed in the Lorain County Recorder's office is on file in the Erie County Recorder. Considering how all documents in the Recorder's office are a matter of public record, I don't know WHY that document ---- and others ---- aren't viewable on the website!
09:01 PM
eightballcuet1 says
My Opinion is
2008 was 3 years ago. You can feel fine today and have a heart attack of stroke tomorrow. I had a family member who was felt fine in March and died from cancer in October. It can hit that fast. Hopefully Ms Johnson is making a full recovery and can get back to the job at hand. It would be nice if instead of running a person into the ground for something beyond their control, people would wish them well and say a little prayer.
07:05 PM
retired08 says
Get up off your butts and recall her.
07:05 PM
Captain Gutz says
Buff,
If you have hope that the records will be put online since Ms. Johnson is now back at work, you are going to be disappointed.
Let me assure you, there are many many people who did not vote for her the last time, or any time for that matter.
I do wish her the best - personally.
I also wish she would step down and let someone else do the job. That is not my hope, just my wish.
06:42 PM
Buff says
Ms. Johnson is a duly elected county official. As such, she is entitled to follow the rules regarding her personal issues. We should refrain from commenting on her personal situation. I think we can only wish her the best-personally.
That said, if you disagree with the job she is or isn't doing in the office she was elected to, you should get involved in the process and run against her, or support a candidate who is running against her.
I also wish that county records were online, they are not. Hopefully, now that she is back at work, this will happen. If not, do not vote for her next time.
06:07 PM
John R says
Here are more interesting articles about Johnson:
JOHNSON'S ACHIEVEMENTS OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS
http://removejohnson.blogspot.com/2009/05/johnsons-achievements-over-past-20.html
HOW DID JOHNSON WIN?
http://removejohnson.blogspot.com/2009/05/how-did-johnson-win.html
IS BARB JOHNSON ROBBING THE TAX PAYERS?
http://removejohnson.blogspot.com/2009/05/is-barb-johnson-robbing-tax-payers.html
LEADERSHIP: DOES JOHNSON HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?
http://removejohnson.blogspot.com/2009/08/leadership-does-johnson-have-what-it.html
There is MUCH more on the Clerk of Court Watch site as well. A WEALTH of information! !
03:26 PM
JSB4030 says
I can't believe Julie R hasn't got a comment in here yet as to how corrupt erie county courts. judges and attorneys are. Julie you are slipping
12:21 PM
Bailey says
ByTheWay said:
"""Agreed! Why do people keep electing her?""
Make no mistake, when it comes to elections my black heritage is racist at its roots. Its the "we have to take control' syndrome. The sad part is we had a good man running for President, Allen Keys and all I heard was the same rubbish that Jackson spewed: he's an Uncle Tom. ( I refuse to call myself or any other black person an "African American" . I was BORN in America, I AM and American, and it it RACIST to say I'm 'African? There are millions of WHITE AFRICANS who are now Americans, ever think of that!
12:18 PM
starryeyes83 says
crazz --people with cancer work everyday. My friends did and never stopped working. There is also phones ,e-mails and fax.
The illness ONLY excuses her for the last 6 months. NOt the last 20 years.
11:15 AM
My Opinion is... says
Crazzbaby - how is it heartless to expect her to do her job? She may very well have had cancer, and if so I feel very bad for her, but she obviously felt fine in 2008 when she told the voters:
Johnson promised to have the records on-line by 2009.
Johnson said her No. 1 priority would be to get court records on-line.
11:12 AM
JIMBO2 says
The easiest procedure would be to vote for her opponent in the next election.
11:04 AM
crazzbaby says
Did anyone stop to think that maybe her illness might have been cancer??? I mean really.. how heartless are the ppl in Sandusky..
10:45 AM
starryeyes83 says
If she is getting a free ride only because she is black, then that would be discrimination against white opponents now wouldn't it?
This woman needs to be be relieved of her "duties" (whichever ones she's done). Pronto!
10:41 AM
kURTje says
Taxpayer / Johnson 2012
10:26 AM
My Opinion is... says
Talk about irony - this story just popped up on the website - "Sandusky's recreation program supervisor was fired Wednesday for poor job performance"
10:03 AM
My Opinion is... says
MiddleRight - Thank you, but it states "Any elective officer of a municipal corporation". I'm pretty sure she's at the county level as opposed to municipal. If you can find the procedure I'd volunteer to help get signatures
10:02 AM
Taxpayer says
"Sore Losers" commenting about this?? Ha! Ha! Here is a tip for your own self-anointed authority on entitlements. She is FINALLY back to work. Good for her! She plans to complete her term and wants to keep getting her taxpayer CHECK! You can be absent 90 days with pay plus an additional 40 days with a doctors excuse? Wow, this must be a UNION job. Maybe she can get one of those WI UNION teacher's medical excuses. Here is a tip. The PEOPLE are "sore losers" because any NORMAL human being with rational choice can SEE when something is not right. They can SEE when someone is a FAILURE at their job. They can SEE when "other" people constantly make up excuses and BLAME for unacceptable public service and results with NO leadership. (Does an ex-Perkins police chief come to mind?) She does have a Constitutional position as an elected official, but if the "clerk" can NOT do her job and continues NOT to perform her duties as elected and DEMANDS her taxpayer check, OTHER options are available for the voters. We are a tolerant society and even becoming a convicted FELON while in office still allows you to stay. I present to you Marion Barry, mayor of Washington, DC. He was charged for perjury (Imagine that) and narcotics possession and immediately BLAMED his ex-model babe Rasheeda Moore of "setting him up" with the FBI. He served six months in the federal pen and was re-elected by the people of DC when he got out. Power to the people right? If Barb Johnson is ill and can NOT perform her job, then she needs to take care of her health first and let someone else try to CLEAN up the horrible condition of the county's legal records. No job is worth your health or life. Barb Johnson has always been good to me and I have voted for her. But, she needs to take care of herself first. How hard is that? YOU still want to feel sorry for someone and continue to make up excuses while the situation of our court records is in shambles? Oops, I forgot. Just kick the can down the road and let the next elected person worry about it right liberals?
09:53 AM
MiddleRight says
Ohio
ORC §705.92
Any elective officer of a municipal corporation
Recall may not commence during last 190 days in office.
No specific grounds are required
Time for gathering signatures is 90 days.
Signature requirement is number equal to 15% of the total votes cast in the last regular municipal election
http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=16540
Here you go Erie County Republican party. Do something about this.
09:54 AM
MiddleRight says
-
09:49 AM
MiddleRight says
Maybe this is some of the reason why taxpayers are fed up with gov't job benefits.
Name another job where you can be absent from work for 90 days and still keep your job? FMLA only allows 12 weeks of UNPAID leave, or 84 days. Gov't workers get 90 + 40 if you have an illness? That's 18.5 weeks.
I'm all for compassion due to her "illness", but it sounds like she retired while in office.
09:44 AM
00SEVEN says
Personal attack my a$$. Ok Ragister, let's hear your Liberal defination of why Barb hasn't posted the info on the net. Also the above poster hit the nail on the head. I agree 110%. The reason she is allowed to continue to NOT do her job is:
A. She is black
B. She is a woman
C. She is a dumocrat. We all know how that senerio works!!!
09:54 AM
My Opinion is... says
Darkhorse - So we should just sit back and ignore the fact that she blatently lied to the voters to get re-elected? I'm pretty sure there's a way we can get rid of her before her term is up. If there's a way to oust a president there must be a way to oust a clerk of courts. She either needs to step up and earn her paycheck or risk losing it.
09:35 AM
SamAdams says
BytheBy,
I agree that, all too often, we see government hires based on who you know rather than what you know. But that doesn't apply to Johnson, who is elected (which clearly proves voters don't know any more than she does).
As far as Johnson being back on the job, well, I doubt we'll see much difference. She accomplished just as much while she was gone as she ever has while she's there...
Here's hoping that even if Johnson refuses/is incapable of learning anything new, voters will at least get a clue before the next election comes around!
09:25 AM
Darkhorse says
The people have spoken in the voting booth and no amount of cut downs on Ms Johnson will change that around until 2013. For all those sore losers, relax and take a breath because the majority ruled. If you are so unhappy with the results, maybe the other side should have run a better candidate against Ms Johnson.
09:22 AM
My Opinion is... says
She's already 2 years behind on the timeline she set in her last campaign to have the records online. If I told my boss I would have a project done by a certain date and then 2 years later it still wasn't done I would be fired faster than you could say "obviously". Okay, so she had a serious illness that kept her out of the office for the past 6 months - what's her excuse for the year and a half before that?? The Commissioners say she's had money in her budget to hire 2 people to get those records online and she hasn't done it. Get with the program, Lady, or get out! This is no longer the Clerk's office according to Johnson, it's now the Clerk's office according to the taxpayers who pay your salary and finally sat up and took notice of where their money is going. You were elected to do a job, so do it.
Here's a question for the commenters - what is the procedure to have an elected official ousted from their position for lack of job performance?
09:17 AM
outsider says
The technology age has passed Barb Johnson by. She was skilled enough 10 to 20 years ago when she first started. Now she is hopeless lost.
But this is an elected position and she has three electable traits in Erie County. She is a Democrat. She is a women. She is black.
Most elections are not won by the most skilled individual.
08:33 AM
BytheBy says
Agreed! Why do people keep electing her?
I'll go in and get their records online for $50k/year! Will take several years but at least it will get done!! I have applied for several jobs within the county government, but knowing no one, of course I was not hired. I guess they get what they deserve when they hire based on depotism and NOT qualifications!
08:32 AM
My Opinion is... says
Good - now get to work on getting the records online! My tax dollars pay your salary, therefore I am your boss and I expect you to follow through on your word!
08:16 AM
00SEVEN says
Moderators have removed this comment because it contained personal attacks. Discussion Guidelines