Montgomery County Dems appoint county recorder

DAYTON — A Dayton Municipal Court magistrate was appointed Thursday night to fill the Montgomery County Recorder’s Office left vacant with the passing in February of Willis Blackshear Sr.

Brandon McClain will be sworn in on March 28. He is a graduate of the University of Dayton School of Law and has worked in private practice and as an attorney with the Montgomery County Public Defender’s Office. He is a veteran, who achieved the rank of sergeant in the Army National Guard and he mentors local youth and serves on several boards, according to a release from the Montgomery County Democratic Party.

“Whether a soldier, attorney or member of the judiciary, I have embraced my calling as a public servant and remained actively involved in the development of our community and its citizens,” McClain said. “I am humbled to serve Montgomery County and be an extension to the legacy of Willis Blackshear Sr.”

State law requires the local Central Committee of the former officeholder’s party to pick a replacement within 45 days of the vacancy. Once sworn in, McClain would have to run for election in a special election, which will be on the 2018 General Election ballot in November.