SLIPPERY ROCK — The former chief clerk of Butler County is running for district judge.

Bill O’Donnell, 59, of Slippery Rock Township announced Saturday he is seeking both party nominations for the post, which is being vacated at the end of the year by retiring District Judge Tim Shaffer.

District judge candidates are permitted to cross-file as both Democrat and Republican.

O’Donnell wants to follow in the footsteps of his late father, District Judge William O’Donnell.

Before embarking on a career in county administration, the younger O’Donnell obtained the district judge certification in 1991.

“It was something I truly wanted to do,” he said.

However, there was a redistricting, so Slippery Rock was grouped with the Chicora area. He worked 21 years for the county before retiring in 2012.

But O’Donnell said he’s glad to have had the opportunities that came his way.

“I have no regrets,” he said.

O’Donnell fondly recalled his father, who served as a justice of the peace, holding court in their home.

He said his father instilled in him the importance of being a judge at the first level, determining whether a case proceeds to trial.

O’Donnell said a district judge — what the justice of peace eventually transitioned into — needs to be fair.

“My dad was a great example of someone with an ability to listen to both sides,” he said.

O’Donnell said he would carry on his father’s approach.

“My dad said a lot of decisions should not be based on the letter of the law but the spirit of the law,” he said.

O’Donnell said some first-time offenders should be given a second chance with a warning.

“You tell them you don’t want to see them back in court,” he said.

O’Donnell said other people need to be diverted from the court system because they have needs that could be addressed by human services, preventing repeat offenses.

He stressed his service as the county’s top administrator included working closely with county court and social services.

O’Donnell is a 1974 graduate of Butler High School, and he has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Slippery Rock University.

His community service includes being a member for the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame board of directors, the Slippery Rock National Championship Committee and the Slippery Rock Alumni Association. He is a former coach of youth sports.

O’Donnell lives in the township with his wife, Susan. They have two grown children and a grandchild.

He is the brother of District Judge Kevin O’Donnell in Butler Township.

The district court covers the townships of Brady, Franklin, Mercer, Muddy Creek, Slippery Rock and Worth along with Harrisville, Portersville, Prospect, Slippery Rock and West Liberty.