Contini, Hillyer seek GOP nomination for county auditor

Lisa Contini and Brett Hillyer are vying in the May 5 Republican primary for the chance to run in November to replace county Auditor Larry Lindberg, who is retiring from the post.

Contini, 51, of New Philadelphia, is chief deputy auditor and was an accountant for more than 25 years before joining the Tuscarawas County Auditor’s office in 2024. Hillyer, 40, of Uhrichsville, is a lawyer who has served as Uhrichsville’s law director and a state representative.

Contini said she wants to be auditor because she has always enjoyed accounting and working with elected officials when she did government accounting.

“That's what I really enjoyed, because you helped them do their job better and helped them understand the funding. That's what I grew to love about it,” she said.

She also looks forward to working with county residents to help them understand how the auditor’s office works and educating them on property taxes.

“It's not going to make everybody happy. Nobody's ever going to make everybody happy, but I think the fact of just being able to educate people and help them understand better,” Contini said.

In explaining why he wants to be auditor, Hillyer said, “Since my time in the General Assembly, I still have a number of constituents, friends and allies who reach out to me at least every other week asking for help. They ask for help with various government departments at the state level and the county level. I still get calls about people upset about their real estate taxes or the way county government functions.”

Because of Lindberg’s retirement as auditor, Hillyer said he saw an opportunity to run for the office to continue helping people.

Contini said residents should vote for her in May because of her experience as an accountant in both the private and public sector.

“I understand both sides of it. I can see what is required, what is needed. I feel like I'm good at explaining what is required, what is needed," she said.

Contini noted that Tuscarawas County has been antiquated when it comes to public records, which are often on paper instead of online. The county signed a contract last year to get a new computer system which will allow the government to go paperless.

“I've been a very integral part of that. We are going live on the new system on April 20. So, I have programmed the whole new system. I have brought it up to where we needed to be,” she said.

Hillyer said residents should give him their support because he is a fighter. “I think we would all agree that from time to time the government needs some reforms, a shakeup. I don't think anything is necessarily wrong in the county, but I think we're still doing things the way we did 20 years ago,” he said.

One area that he would focus on is protecting senior citizens from scams, specifically deed theft. He said scam artists can get property owners’ signatures and use it to steal their property. He would like to institute a fraud alert that residents could sign up for. If they received an alert, they could contact the police or the sheriff to put a stop to it.

“I think we can do more to expand access to the Board of Revision so that people understand what the Board of Revision is and that they actually have the opportunity for an administrative hearing to challenge the valuation of their home and their property,” Hillyer said.

The Board of Revision handles property tax assessments and appeals.

Contini promised to be a full-time auditor if elected.

“I feel this is the next step in my career path. I really want the job. I don't want the position. I just want the job because I love the job and I love the county and want to do what's right for the county,” she said.

Hillyer said that if he is elected, he will be in the office every day. He said he would be stepping back from his law practice to a certain extent. Being auditor would be his No. 1 priority, he said.

Contini graduated from Tuscarawas Central Catholic High School in 1993 and received an accounting degree from Walsh University in 1998. She is married and has two children.

Hillyer is a 2004 graduate of Claymont High School. He earned a degree in finance and accounting from the University of Akron in 2008 and his law degree from Ohio Northern University in 2011. He is married and has two children.

The winner of the May 5 primary will face Democrat Joe Rinehart of Bolivar in the Nov. 3 general election.