Longtime Commissioner and former Hamilton mayor Charles “Chuck” Furmon said he is ready leave public service and the political headaches of the past 20 years and move onto a more quiet life.

Sitting in the kitchen of his Hamilton home last week, he said “only four more meetings.”

“I am hoping to just slide out,” Furmon said with a smile “Stop beating my head against a wall.”

Furmon lost his re-election bid in March when newcomer TC Rogers took the three-way race that also pitted him against former fellow commissioner and state representative Courtney Combs.

In recent years, Furmon and commissioners Don Dixon and Cindy Carpenter have clashed bringing some to call the three-seat board “dysfunctional.”

Furmon has lived through scandals that have resulted in the prosecution and jailing of former county Auditor Kay Rogers and longtime county and state politician Michael Fox. He made the call to the FBI in 2005 that began the probe of the Dynus fiber optics deal scandal and eventually led to the arrests.

“I really feel good about the Dynus situation. We took a chunk out of the corruption in Butler County politics,” Furmon said. “But we didn’t get them all.”

While he has plenty of insider stories, Furmon said he doesn’t want to tell them as he leaves office, preferring to focus on accomplishments during his commission years, including the development of the 800-megahertz radio system linking all emergency personnel, building of the Governments Services Center, county jail and animal shelter and the infrastructure projects, including the Union Centre and Liberty Way exchanges.

The 71-year-old former Hamilton police officer said he is thankful to the citizens of Butler County for their confidence in him over the years.

“I believe in Butler County, it is a wonderful place to live,” Furmon said. Spending time more time with friends and family is on the agenda in the future for he and his wife Peg.

Furmon said he doesn’t have any advise for Rogers, stating only, “I have confidence and the hope that TC will do the right thing.”

Rogers, 63, will take public office for the first time ever on Jan. 2. The West Chester Twp. builder and real estate broker and brother of county probate Judge Randy Rogers said he is ready.

He has spent hours before and after Nov. 6 election sitting in on budget hearings, county work sessions and commission meetings.

“I have been meeting with people and gaining information,” Rogers said, but he added he has made no commitments nor has he drawn conclusions.

“That is not my place right now,” he added.

Rogers has said he saw a need to run for office now because of the conflict in the commission. He believes he can be the factor that brings the board together.

“I really believe I can fix this,” Rogers said. He said he wants to meet with other office holders and work to improve the whole county.

“We are going to generate growth,” he said, noting he does have specific plans to make it happen, but did not want to elaborate at this time.

He has been involved in campaigns and the county Republican Party for years while his business ventures often took him out of state.

“I wanted to be the person behind the scenes,” Rogers said, but now he is ready for a more upfront role. “But this is not about personal recognition or power. I regard this as a job and I don’t have anything to prove.”

Rogers said he has always been performance driven wanting to seen results for his efforts. He will want to see the same in his new role as commissioner. He is confident that he will.

“Yes, I can see myself running again in four more years,” Rogers said.