CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Public-relations damage inflicted by a secret meeting to decide the presidency of the new Cuyahoga County Council has left serious doubts about whether either of two leading Democratic contenders can be -- or should be -- elected to the position.

The controversy also exposed disagreement among Democratic leaders over whether the secret caucus was appropriate. The county Democratic chairman defended the meeting, while county executive-elect Ed FitzGerald criticized it.

The meeting on Friday has already shaken confidence in reform government that comes to power Jan. 1 on promises of openness and honesty. In the uproar that has followed, Councilman-elect Dale Miller, who lobbied long and hard for the presidency, has signaled that he may withdraw from the race, possibly with an announcement today.

"I'm taking two days to get a little bit of perspective and on Thursday I will make it known what I'm going to do regarding leadership," Miller said Tuesday.

His adversary for the president's seat, Councilwoman-elect C. Ellen Connally, said she intends to stay in contention. And she may still have the votes because of the clout of black political leaders who support her.

But the controversy opens the door wider for Councilman-elect Chuck Germana, who had been considered a long shot for the presidency.

Asked about the probability of either Miller or Connally ascending to leadership, Germana said, "They're toast. I think they forfeited the right.

"I'm the only person still standing," he said, adding, "That isn't the way I wanted to become council president."

Germana, a Parma Democrat, was not invited to the private meeting, which was called after word spread that the three Republicans on the council were lining up behind him for president. Miller had pushed for Republican support, even talking to county GOP Chairman Rob Frost.

The credibility of Miller and Connally, and the entire 11-member council, has been shaken by the secret meeting at the home of Councilman-elect Julian Rogers. After promising to discuss and vote for council leadership at an open meeting Monday, six Democrats -- a council majority -- emerged from the private meeting agreeing that Connally would be president and Miller vice president. Then on Monday, council members-elect backed off plans to vote and pushed the decision to Jan. 3, after they take office.

"There has been damage to the public trust of the council based on that [private] meeting," said Republican Councilman-elect Dave Greenspan. "We already started out in county government with two strikes against us because of the corruption. That meeting put the ball in the pitcher's hand to throw the third strike."

Recall provisions are in charter

Some Cuyahoga County residents unhappy about the secret meeting of County

Council Democrats have asked about recall procedures.

"We just changed county government because of backroom deals, and here these people are doing it again," said James Stegeman of Lakewood. He said another misstep should bring about a recall effort.

The county charter approved by voters last year spells out the process. A recall petition requires signatures of at least 20 percent of registered voters in the council member's district who cast ballots for county executive in the most recent election.

Petition papers must be obtained from the clerk of council (yet to be appointed), and returned within 30 days. The clerk has 10 days to certify petitions, which are then sent to council. A recall election is held 40 to 60 days after the clerk submits petitions to council.

-- Harlan Spector

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While Miller has said the private meeting was a mistake, Connally has insisted that Democrats have a right to caucus privately on leadership. After days of uproar over the meeting, Stuart Garson, chairman of the county Democratic Party, came to the defense of embattled council Democrats. Garson said in an e-mail Tuesday, "The desire of the majority or the minority to discuss amongst themselves their leadership options does not violate either in substance or the spirit of open and transparent government" called for in the county charter.

Garson may be trying to prop up Connally, but his statement puts the party leadership at odds with the Democratic leader of the new government. Asked about the private caucus, FitzGerald said on Monday that the council failed public expectations of the new government. "There's a certain spirit of the times I think we've got to be consistent with," he said. FitzGerald also said he thought the Democrats saw the error in their ways.

Other than Germana, council members-elect and others close to the situation were reluctant to say Miller or Connally should step aside from the race for president.

"That's up to them," said Martin Zanotti, a county reform leader and a Democrat who has been at odds with party leadership. But Zanotti added: "The council has to ask themselves, 'Do we want to start our new term with gray clouds over the heads of our leaders, or do we want someone else?' "

Jack Schron, one of the three Republicans elected to the council, said he has received many e-mails from residents saying Connally and Miller should step aside. The private meeting also drew rebukes from the American Civil Liberties Union and Cleveland State University Provost Geoffrey Mearns, who canceled plans to preside over the open meeting Monday to elect leadership. Mearns said in a letter that he would not participate because the outcome had been decided in private.

Schron said he won't ask Miller or Connally to withdraw, but "I would encourage them both to think long and hard about whether they should step aside."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: hspector@plaind.com, 216-999-4543