Two candidates running for Medina Municipal Court judge

Anne Eisenhower, 64 Education: She received a degree in social studies from Shippensburg State University, and obtained her Juris Doctorate from Cleveland State University's law school. Family: She has two adult children and two grandsons. Job history: She has experience in private law practice. She was the chief prosecuting attorney for the Cleveland Metroparks system and the assistant county prosecutor for Medina County. She was also a stay-at-home mom. Website: medinajudge.com Gary Werner, 61 Education: He graduated from Brunswick High School in 1979. He received a Bachelor of Arts in economics, summa cum laude, from UCLA in 1991. Then, in 1994, he obtained his Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School. Family: He is the fifth of Mel and Gerry's six children. He met his wife Lori in Florida, and they have been married for 32 years. They have two children and three grandchildren. Job history: From 1993 to 2017, he worked for a variety of law firms in California as well as the Cleveland area. He is a presenter for the Supreme Court of Ohio's Judicial College. He was a regular seminar presenter for the National Business Institute, CLE International and the Ohio State Bar Association while he was practicing law. He was on the Brunswick Board of Zoning Appeals, a Brunswick City councilman and the mayor of Brunswick. Most recently, he was elected as the Medina Municipal Court judge in 2017. Website: VoteJudgeWerner.com MEDINA — Anne Eisenhower and incumbent Gary Werner are the two candidates running for Medina Municipal Court judge in the general election this November. Eisenhower did not respond to the following two questions or submit a photo to run with this story. What makes you the best candidate for the position? Werner: I now have six years of experience as the Medina Municipal Court's presiding and administrative judge. I have established a degree of predictability in court operations, which benefits all court users. I have a strong relationship with the court's employees. I successfully obtained the Ohio Supreme Court's certification to establish Medina County's first Veterans Treatment Court, which specializes in helping veterans who face charges in court. I am devoted to the court's important role and committed to the rule of law. Participating in our community's life by serving in this position is deeply gratifying to me. What is the biggest challenge facing the county/courts, and how would you address it? Werner: Relocating Medina Municipal Court out of its current building has concerned local officials for 20 plus years. The current courthouse was built to meet a sudden need arising after an arsonist destroyed the prior location. The current courthouse's many deficits include it not being safe for court staff or users. I have to date assisted the city and the county in reaching (an) agreement to relocate our court to the 1969 courthouse on the square. Plenty of work remains regarding this effort, but the community will reap many benefits from centralizing the bulk of this county's judicial functions. Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.