Newly appointed Scioto County Commissioner Merit Smith knows he’s stepping into big shoes—but he’s not trying to fill them. Instead, he says, he hopes to honor the legacy of the late Commissioner Cathy Coleman by continuing the work she cared deeply about while using his own extensive life experience to serve the people of Scioto County.
“I’m not here to replace Cathy,” Smith said. “Cathy was a great person. She was beloved by the staff here. She was beloved by the county. There’s no way you could ever replace that.”
Smith, who was appointed by the Scioto County Republican Central Committee on July 29, spoke with sincerity and humility during his first week on the job. He expressed gratitude to county staff for helping him get up to speed and emphasized his desire to continue Coleman’s efforts.
“I want to say to her family, I hope I can at least be part of the things she was working on. The staff has been great to me coming in here to get me on my feet and running—but they also miss Cathy. I hope we can continue to build her memory through the things we do in this office.”
Decades of Real-World Experience
While he’s new to the commissioners’ table, Merit Smith brings decades of hands-on experience in fields that touch nearly every corner of public life. He’s worked in:
- Retail management
- Juvenile court, as chief probation officer
- Education, as director of attendance for the South Central Ohio ESC
- Facilities management, overseeing maintenance after retiring
- Pastoral ministry, leading churches for more than 40 years
- Emergency services, as a firefighter and EMT for four decades
“There’s a lot of life experiences that I can draw from,” Smith said. “I’ve worked at the courthouse for 12 years. I understand somewhat how the budgeting system works in the county—and if you’ve ever been around government accounting, it’s a whole lot different from the rest of the world. If you don’t have a little understanding of how it works, then you don’t understand it. I have just enough there to be dangerous.”
Ready to Roll Up His Sleeves
Smith wasted no time putting that experience to work. During recent discussions about the MARCS emergency radio towers, he offered firsthand insight as a longtime first responder.
“I understand that need because there are dead spots in the county where we don’t have access to the radio,” he said.
He also weighed in on ongoing air conditioning issues at the Sheriff’s Office, drawing from his time in maintenance management.
A Promise of Integrity
Though he made no sweeping promises, Smith offered one clear commitment:
“What I will promise is that I will always try to do the right thing for the citizens of Scioto County. I’m only one vote on this board, but I will do my part.”
Commissioners Bryan Davis and Scottie Powell welcomed Smith to the board, which now returns to full strength following Coleman’s passing on July 4. Her memory, Smith said, will remain a guiding force.
“Cathy cared about kids. She cared about disabled people. She cared about this county. I hope I can be half the commissioner that she was.”
Merit Smith may not be replacing Cathy Coleman—but with a career of service behind him and a heart for the county ahead, he’s ready to serve in her honor.
