Screening Panel Unanimously Recommends Pelanda, Hill for House Vacancies

Release:

COLUMBUS—State Representative Lou Blessing (R-Cincinnati), who chaired the panel screening candidates for two vacant House seats today, announced that the panel unanimously recommended Dorothy Liggett Pelanda of Marysville for the 83^rd House District seat and Brian Hill of Zanesville for the 94^th House District seat.  The 83^rd and 94^th House District seats were recently vacated by former Reps. David Burke (R-Marysville) and Troy Balderson (R-Zanesville), who were each recently appointed to the Ohio Senate.

 

“The recommendation was difficult because we had several outstanding candidates for each vacancy,” Rep. Blessing said. “But, we are confident and unanimous in our recommendation that these people will make an excellent addition to the House Republican Caucus.”

 

Dorothy Liggett Pelanda is a private practice attorney from Marysville.  She is a 1974 graduate of Marysville High School and holds an undergraduate degree from Miami University of Ohio and her law degree from the Akron University School of Law.  She is also a lifelong member of the Marysville United Methodist Church, the Union County Chamber of Commerce and Union County Bar Association.  Ms. Pelanda has two sons and one daughter.

 

Brian Hill is a two-term Muskingum County Commissioner, having been first elected in 2004, and has owned and operated a family farm in Zanesville for over thirty years.  Mr. Hill is a member of the Muskingum County Farm Bureau and the Muskingum County Cattleman’s Association.  He holds a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University and is a lifelong resident of Muskingum County, where he resides with his wife and three children.

 

Rep. Blessing and members of the screening panel will recommend Ms. Pelanda and Mr. Hill to the full House Republican Caucus tomorrow morning.  Pending a final vote by the full caucus, each candidate will be sworn in during House Session tomorrow morning at 11:00am.