Dr. Dennis Mesker. Photo/Premier Health
Derek Myers, Editor-in-chief
The Fayette County Republican Central Committee met Thursday night and appointed a longtime area physician as the new county coroner after the unexpected death of former county coroner, Dr. Albert Gay.
Dr. Dennis Mesker was appointed as the Fayette County Coroner after receiving the majority of votes from 25 republican party central committee representatives during a Thursday night meeting at the Fayette County Center for Economic Building.
The committee representatives voted by secret ballot Thursday night, according to sources close to the election.
Mesker is a 1990 graduate of Wright State University’s Boonshoft School of Medicine and completed his residency at Franciscan Medical Center in Dayton. He is licensed to practice medicine in Ohio and Indiana, according to Health Grades System Network.
Mesker, 52, is a family physician who practiced in Fayette County for several years before moving his practice to Dayton, Ohio in 2007 to join his brother, Dr. David Mesker and Dr. Donald Collins in practice at Englewood Family Practice and Premier HealthNet.
Mesker was deputy coroner under longtime County Coroner Dr. Ralph Gebhart before accepting a position as Gay’s deputy coroner upon Gebhart’s death.
“Dr. Mesker has been a well respected physician for more than twenty years,” said Republican Central Committee representative and County Sheriff Vernon P. Stanforth. “As deputy coroner for both Dr. Gebhart and Dr. Gay, he brings experience to the office.”
Stanforth said Mesker has worked well with local law enforcement over the years and he believes the county will be served well with Mesker’s expertise.
“Dr. Mesker has worked well with law enforcement over the years and I think the people of Fayette County will be well served,” he said.
Acting Coroner Dr. Lenora Fitton and Dr. Greg Schall were also considered for the position.
Fitton — who has been acting coroner since Gay’s death on March 6 — was the county’s deputy coroner for two years before being sworn in as acting coroner in March. She was reportedly not elected Thursday night because her lack of voting history essentially disqualified her in the eyes of some central committee representatives.
“I would like to thank the Fayette County Commissioners for allowing me to serve the county as the Interim Coroner following the untimely death of Dr. Gay,” said Fitton. “I felt the community was very supportive of my temporary placement. Although I was not a registered voter prior, I felt it was the ‘right thing to do’ since the Coroner was an elected position.”
Fitton wasn’t a registered voter in Fayette County prior to March 6, according to the Fayette County Board of Elections.
She said she was disappointed that having a lack of voting history in Fayette County allegedly played a role in some of the representatives’ decision making.
“I am disappointed that the ramifications of my late political commitment dictated the voting outcome at the Republican Central Committee meeting, but I am grateful for the opportunity to have served for a brief time along with some fine elected officials,” she said.
She will remain acting county coroner until Mesker is sworn in at a later date when the Fayette County Board of Elections can certify the results of Thursday’s meeting.
According to the Ohio Revised Code, Mesker will remain acting coroner until December 31, 2014. If he wishes to remain coroner after that date, he will have to file as a candidate in the November 2014 general election and receive the majority votes cast by county voters.
The position became vacant after Gay, 53, died unexpectedly at Mount Carmel West Hospital in Columbus following complications with his cardiovascular system on March 6.
Gay, who was appointed Fayette County’s coroner on February 7, 2002, was admitted to the Fayette County Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department after reportedly experiencing complications with his heart.
He was transferred to Mount Carmel West in Columbus to undergo a medical procedure related to the complications where he unexpectedly died.
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