Butler County judges, row officers sworn into offices
Two new Common Pleas Court judges, a new coroner and clerk of courts and an incumbent sheriff and controller were sworn into their offices Friday during Butler County’s annual inauguration ceremonies.
President Judge S. Michael Yeager presided over the ceremonies in which new judges Matthew McCune and John Scialabba, Coroner Korynne Young, Clerk of Courts Tammy Thibodeau, Sheriff Mike Slupe and Controller Ben Holland, who were elected last year, were sworn in.
Retiring Judge Timothy McCune, who Yeager described as the “epitome of a public servant” and will serve as a senior judge, administered the oath of office to his son Matthew McCune. Timothy McCune and his wife, Patty, then presented their son Matthew with his robe.
“Matt McCune will actually take the seat of his father,” Yeager said.
Timothy McCune’s 44 years in the legal profession began when he was working as a lawyer. He was elected as district attorney in 1996 and remained in that office until he was elected as a judge in 2005 and took office in 2006.
Yeager administered the oath to Scialabba, whose parents, Anthony and Shirley Scialabba, and son, Theodore Scialabba, presented with his robe.
The county now has seven Common Pleas Court judges. The last expansion of the court bench came in 2006 when Timothy McCune took office.
The new judge’s position was created by Act 58 in 2023. The law added Common Pleas Court judge positions in six counties, including Butler, to reduce the caseloads of the existing judges.
The annual salary of a Common Pleas Court judge this year is $234,916, but in judicial districts having six or more judges, like Butler County, the annual salary is $236,963.
“Public service involves a test and measure of an individual’s personal values. Their efforts and their actions as they serve the government of the republic is a service that is to be rendered from the public interest without regard to personal advantage or benefit.
“Other servants hold a position of trust established by law for the purpose of exercising the authority of the government and the interest of their employees, that being the public. The whole public office is truly a position of honor and requires the highest degree of integrity and responsibility,” Yeager said before the oaths were administered.
Jordan Shuber, president of the Butler County Bar Association, also addressed the new judges and row officers.
“Today is a moment of significance. We gather not only to mark the beginning of new terms as well as the end of some terms. But to reaffirm the principles that form the foundation of our system of government — justice, integrity, service to the public,” Shuber said.
Common Pleas Court Judge Kelley Streib administered the oath of office to Slupe and Thibodeau.
Slupe is beginning his fifth term in office, and Thibodeau is replacing Lisa Lotz, who retired after serving 32 years as the clerk of courts and a total of 44 years as a county employee.
Judge William Robinson administered the oath for Holland, who is beginning his fourth term.
District Judge Lewis Stoughton said he was proud to administer the oath to Young, who he said was a fellow Moniteau Jr./Sr. High School graduate. He noted that Young is succeeding her cousin William Young III as coroner and said a member of the Young family has held the office since 1970.
U.S. District Court Judge Marilyn Horan, a former Butler County Common Pleas Court judge, Senior Judge William Shaffer and Allegheny County Common Pleas Court Judge Kim Eaton attended the ceremony, along with the Butler County commissioners, district judges and numerous county employees.
