Geauga County Republican Seeks to Censure Commissioners

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A member of the Geauga County Republican Central Committee is seeking to censure Geauga County commissioners Jim Dvorak and Carolyn Brakey following a vote to approve changes to the bylaws of the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA). The new regulations require NOACA board members and alternates to be elected officials or county employees with expertise in transportation, planning or other specialized fields.

Why it matters

The proposed censure highlights ongoing political tensions in Geauga County over regional planning and transportation issues. The NOACA bylaw changes were controversial, with one commissioner voting against them, and now there are calls from within the local Republican party to discipline the two commissioners who supported the changes.

The details

The effort to censure Dvorak and Brakey stems from a Jan. 22 vote in which commissioners approved, 2-1, the ratification of changes to NOACA's bylaws. Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri voted against the changes, while Brakey and Dvorak voted in favor. The new NOACA regulations require board members and alternates to be elected officials or county employees with expertise in transportation, planning or other specialized fields.

• The Geauga County Republican Central Committee member is seeking to censure Dvorak and Brakey following the Jan. 22 NOACA bylaw vote.
• The commissioners voted 2-1 to approve the NOACA bylaw changes on Jan. 22, 2026.

What’s next

The Geauga County Republican Central Committee will likely vote on whether to censure Dvorak and Brakey in the coming weeks.