McCarthy, 67, says it's time to call it quits, begin next stage of life
Summit County Executive James B. McCarthy announced he is retiring from his position as head of county government at a press conference, this morning in Akron, Ohio.
James B. McCarthy sat at the end of a long polished conference table and ticked off all the little reasons he knew it was time to give up Summit County's most powerful elected job: travel, household projects that are piling up, the desire to be outside on a sunny day and plans to attend his 50th North High School reunion free of workplace demands.
After months of rumors, the 67-year-old Summit County executive announced Tuesday that he will retire June 30.
McCarthy said in a meeting with reporters that it is time to get on with the next stage of his life.
``One of the things I didn't want to see happen was to walk down the hallway of this place one day and drop dead,'' McCarthy said.``One day, I got up, was shaving and getting ready to go to work, and I looked in the mirror and I saw my grandfather,'' he said. ``You know that it's time to start thinking about doing the things you wanted to do when you got old enough to retire.''
McCarthy did not rule out working in public service again, or some other kind of work, in the future.
``I am not retiring from life,'' he said. ``I am retiring from public service -- at this time.''
The county executive said he will draw state retirement benefits at 91 percent of his salary. His current pay is about $114,357.He told reporters that he initially declined to confirm he would step down because health insurance benefits for his family had not been settled.McCarthy called the executive's job the best he's ever had and the best in the county.
``I've enjoyed every minute of it,'' he said. ``I am grateful to the people of Summit County for trusting me all these years.... I think I have earned the public's respect.''
Decision to leave
He has been the county's top official for nearly seven years.In November, he insisted he would run again and denied having health problems.
At his State of the County address in March, while recovering from cervical disc surgery, McCarthy was less sure, saying he did not know whether he would seek re-election to the job he described as trying and rewarding.
More recently he confirmed in some news reports that he would resign at the end of the month, but declined to confirm the announcement to other organizations.
The two-term county executive was appointed Summit County clerk of courts in 1975, became auditor in 1989 and beat Republican Cuyahoga Falls Mayor Don Robart to succeed Democrat Tim Davis as county executive in 2000.
Davis, whose administration was scarred by federal prosecutions over kickbacks taken by his aides, declined to run for a fourth term.
Successes, regrets
In 34 years of public life, McCarthy -- who has been known to bake pies for co-workers and for speaking bluntly to opponents -- has engendered fierce loyalty and equally fierce criticism.
The county executive recently has been praised for his role in potentially luring sports store behemoth Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World to a proposed economic redevelopment of the Goodyear campus and adjacent industrial land in Akron.
He said he also was proud of the formation of the Criminal Justice Advisory board, the renovated county courthouse, and computerized systems for property records and the county clerk of courts.
``Good ideas bubble around,'' McCarthy said. ``Bad ideas die real fast.''McCarthy has been criticized for waiving job requirements to hire the then-23-year-old daughter of a county councilman to run the county's animal control facility and for backing a change in county law that would have taken away council's right to decide whether proposed charter changes would be submitted to voters.
He told reporters the county should keep its charter form of government but be open to changes.
Successors should look for a way to regionalize services to make economic development easier, McCarthy said.
Asked about his regrets, he quickly answered with a laugh, ``The e-mail -- that's about it,'' referring to heated electronic correspondence with critics of his choice for animal control director.
From the standpoint of personal growth, being county executive taught McCarthy he was a lot smarter than he thought, ``and a lot more egotistical than I thought,'' he said. ``I wanted (the job) a lot more than I thought."
'Possible replacements
County Council President Nick Kostandaras, D-Richfield, will take over the office until the county's Democratic Central Committee can vote for someone to complete McCarthy's term, which expires in December 2008. That meeting is tentatively scheduled for July 12 at North High School in Akron.
At least four local Democrats are eyeing McCarthy's office. County Councilwoman Paula Prentice, D-Green, said Monday that she has been asked to run for the job when the county executive steps down, and she has not ruled out a run in the 2008 spring primary.
On Tuesday, Kostandaras said he would watch the progress of whoever is appointed to complete McCarthy's term, ``I won't rule out running in the spring if I don't like what is going on,'' he said. ``For the time I am up there, I will give county residents the services they are used to and the communication with government they deserve.''
County Democratic Party Chairman Russ Pry and County Councilman Tim Crawford, D-Norton, each have said they want to be appointed to complete McCarthy's term and they intend to run for the post.
McCarthy said he will cast his vote as a precinct committee member for Pry. He said he wasn't sure who would become the next county executive if he had the sole choice.And then, the departing official reconsidered.
Beacon Journal reporter Katie Byard and Ohio.com editor Jim Arnold contributed to this story. Kymberli Hagelberg can be reached at 330-996-3038 or khagelberg@thebeaconjournal.com.
``A younger me,'' McCarthy said.
