Butler County officials sworn in
A mix of new faces joined several veteran public servants, as officials elected this fall swore an oath to serve the county Friday in the Government Building.
“Welcome to our great time-honored tradition,” said Judge William Shaffer, who was re-elected in November to serve as a common pleas judge.
Shaffer was one of 10 officials who were elected in November. The group included a number of fresh faces, including William “Wink” Robinson, who will be joining Shaffer and the others as a common pleas judge.
Shaffer also opened the ceremony by noting the recent death of Helen Knauer, a clerk of courts employee.
“She was a wonderful soul,” Shaffer said to a crowd of at least 100, many of whom were family members of the elected officials. Knauer retired in 2017 and she died at the age of 102 on Dec. 20, 2019. Federal Judge Marilyn Horan returned to her home county to help swear in 10 people who were elected in November.
The ceremony was held in Courtroom 1, where Horan was sworn in as an attorney 39 years ago, beginning her path to the federal bench she occupies.
Horan served as county judge since 1996, primarily in the court's civil and family division. She was first nominated to the federal bench in 2015 by President Barack Obama, but her confirmation languished on the floor of the Senate for months and never received a vote. She was renominated by President Donald Trump in December 2017.“As I said almost 23 years ago when I was first elected here, children are society's greatest natural resource. We need to take care of them,” Horan told Robinson, who was newly elected to replace Horan after Horan left the common pleas post as a family judge in 2018 to become a federal judge in the Western District.“Be mindful, be deliberate, be judicial,” Horan said. “It has been my privilege to know you.”Robinson thanked Horan and also thanked his wife and family for supporting him.“I'm looking forward to working with the other five talented judges serving the citizens of Butler,” Robinson said.Along with Shaffer and Robinson the following were sworn in: County Commissioners Kevin Boozel, Kim Geyer, and Leslie Osche; Prothonotary Kelly Ferrari; District Attorney Rich Goldinger; Treasurer Diane Marburger; Recorder of Deeds Michelle Mustello; and Register of Wills Sarah Edwards.Shaffer ended the ceremony with some final words.“Those of us who get elected don't like that politicians have a bad name. The people in this room have done everything they can to erase that,” Shaffer said and then quoted Noah Webster, “'Wherever public spirit prevails, liberty is secure.' So liberty is secure in Butler County.”
