Auburn Township
Pop
6,574
Hall
11010 East Washington Street, Auburn Township, OH 44023
Phone
Web
Civic Reference Directory
Geauga County, Ohio
Townships, villages, schools, and county-level resources -- a public reference compiled by Walnut Creek Realty for the residents and prospective residents of Geauga County.
Geauga County sits in Northeast Ohio, approximately 30 miles east of Cleveland. Home of the Great Geauga County Fair, the oldest continuous county fair in Ohio, held annually since 1823.
Rural and semi-rural, second-largest Amish population in the United States, internationally recognized for maple syrup production, and situated in the Lake Erie snowbelt with annual snowfall averaging over 100 inches.
Part of the Connecticut Western Reserve. Organized 1806. The county name comes from a Native American word commonly rendered as "raccoon." 1 city, 3 villages, 16 townships, and 1 unincorporated census-designated place (Chesterland). The former Village of Aquilla dissolved into Claridon Township in November 2024.
Sec 1 | Municipalities
Bainbridge Township
Pop
12,893
Hall
17826 Chillicothe Road, Chagrin Falls, OH 44023
Phone
Web
Burton Township
Pop
4,379
Hall
14821 Rapids Road, Burton, OH 44021 (P.O. Box 355)
Phone
Web
Village of Burton
Pop
1,407
Hall
14588 West Park Street, Burton, OH 44021 (P.O. Box 408)
Phone
Web
City of Chardon
Chardon Township
Chester Township
Pop
9,957
Hall
12701 Chillicothe Road, Chesterland, OH 44026
Phone
Web
Chesterland
Pop
7,074
Hall
12701 Chillicothe Road, Chesterland, OH 44026
Phone
Web
Claridon Township
Pop
3,103
Hall
13932 Mayfield Road, Claridon, OH 44033 (P.O. Box 66)
Phone
Web
Hambden Township
Huntsburg Township
Pop
3,657
Hall
16534 Mayfield Road, Huntsburg, OH 44046
Phone
Web
Middlefield Township
Pop
4,525
Hall
15228 Madison Road, Middlefield, OH 44062
Phone
Web
Village of Middlefield
Pop
2,748
Hall
14860 N. State Avenue, Middlefield, OH 44062
Phone
Web
Montville Township
Munson Township
Newbury Township
Parkman Township
Pop
4,446
Hall
16295 Main Market Road, Parkman, OH 44080
Phone
Web
Russell Township
Pop
5,404
Hall
8501 Kinsman Road, Novelty, OH 44072 (P.O. Box 522)
Phone
Web
Village of South Russell
Pop
3,972
Hall
5205 Chillicothe Road, South Russell, OH 44022
Phone
Web
Thompson Township
Pop
2,144
Hall
6741 Madison Road, Thompson, OH 44086 (P.O. Box 204)
Phone
Web
Troy Township
Sec 2 | School Districts
Geauga County is primarily served by five Local school districts. The Village of South Russell and parts of Bainbridge Township are served by Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools, which is headquartered in Cuyahoga County but maintains district territory in Geauga.
Local
Berkshire Local Schools
Serves
Burton Township, Burton Village, Claridon Township, Huntsburg Township (partially), Montville Township (partially), Thompson Township, Troy Township
Campus
14155 Claridon Troy Road, Burton, OH 44021 (PreK-12)
Phone
Website
Absorbed Ledgemont Local Schools in 2015.
Local
Cardinal Local Schools
Serves
Middlefield Township, Village of Middlefield, Huntsburg Township (partially), Parkman Township. Crosses county line into Trumbull County (Mesopotamia).
Campus
Middlefield, OH 44062
Website
Local
Chardon Local Schools
Serves
City of Chardon, Chardon Township, Hambden Township, Munson Township. Crosses county line into Lake County (Concord area).
Campus
Chardon, OH 44024
Website
Local
Kenston Local Schools
Serves
Auburn Township, Bainbridge Township
Campus
17419 Snyder Road, Chagrin Falls, OH 44023
Phone
Website
Local
West Geauga Local Schools
Serves
Chester Township (and Chesterland CDP), Russell Township (Novelty area), Newbury Township
Campus
Chesterland, OH 44026
Website
Absorbed Newbury Local Schools in 2020 via territory transfer.
External District
Exempted Village (external)
Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools
Serves
Village of South Russell, parts of Bainbridge Township
Campus
Chagrin Falls, OH 44022
Website
District is headquartered in Cuyahoga County but serves parts of Geauga County via territory.
Sec 3 | County Government
Geauga County operates under the standard Ohio county-government structure with separately elected officials for each constitutional office. Most offices have consolidated at the Geauga County Office Building (GCOB) at 12611 Ravenwood Drive in Chardon; the courthouse and courthouse annex offices remain on Chardon Square.
Chardon, OH
Geauga County Auditor
Role
Property valuations, tax assessments, real estate transfers, GIS, dog licenses, weights and measures.
Officeholder
Charles E. Walder
Address
231 Main Street, Suite 1-A (Courthouse Annex), Chardon, OH 44024
Phone
Email
Website
For real estate: Maintains Geauga REALink (realestate.geauga.oh.gov) for free public parcel and property search. First office to contact for property values, tax bills, and ownership records.
Chardon, OH
Geauga County Recorder
Role
Records and preserves deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, plats, and other real estate instruments. Maintains chain-of-title records.
Officeholder
Celesta Mullins
Address
231 Main Street, Suite 1-C (Courthouse Annex), Chardon, OH 44024
Phone
Website
For real estate: First office to contact for obtaining deed copies, recording new deeds, or researching encumbrances.
Chardon, OH
Geauga County Treasurer
Role
Collects real estate taxes and other county revenue. Manages county investments.
Officeholder
Christopher P. Hitchcock
Address
Opera House, 211 Main Street, Suite 1-A, Chardon, OH 44024
Phone
Email
Website
For real estate: Online tax payment portal: geaugatax.com. First office to contact for paying real estate taxes or questions about a tax bill.
Chardon, OH
Geauga County Engineer
Role
Designs, constructs, and maintains 235 miles of county roads and 187 bridges. Maintains county tax maps and survey records.
Officeholder
Andrew W. Haupt, PE, PS
Address
12665 Merritt Road, Chardon, OH 44024
Phone
Email
Website
For real estate: First office to contact for tax maps (including historical maps from 1820 to 1998), road right-of-way questions, and county-road maintenance issues.
Chardon, OH
Geauga County Sheriff
Role
Primary law enforcement for the county. Operates the county jail. Conducts sheriff sales (foreclosure auctions) of real estate ordered by the court.
Officeholder
Scott A. Hildenbrand
Address
12450 Merritt Road, Chardon, OH 44024
Phone
Website
For real estate: Sheriff sales (foreclosure auctions) are conducted at the door of the County Courthouse (100 Short Court Street). Sales listings published at sheriff.co.geauga.oh.us/Divisions/Civil/Sale.
Chardon, OH
Geauga County Clerk of Courts
Role
Maintains all Common Pleas Court records. Issues Ohio Certificates of Title. Processes U.S. passport applications.
Officeholder
Sheila M. Bevington
Address
100 Short Court Street, Suite 300 (Courthouse, 3rd Floor), Chardon, OH 44024
Phone
Email
Website
For real estate: First office to contact for foreclosure case files, civil judgment liens, and Common Pleas Court records. The General Division of the Court of Common Pleas (where foreclosures are filed) is accessible through this office and lives at the same courts.geauga.oh.gov domain.
Chardon, OH
Geauga County Probate / Juvenile Court
Role
Administers probate estates, guardianships, adoptions, name changes, and civil commitments. Also handles juvenile delinquency and child welfare cases. In Geauga County, Probate and Juvenile are combined under a single judge.
Officeholder
Judge Timothy J. Grendell
Address
231 Main Street, Suite 200 (Courthouse Annex, 2nd Floor), Chardon, OH 44024
Phone
Website
For real estate: Administers the Good Deeds Program, a free deed review service for Geauga County property owners and seniors with questions about probate-related property transfers.
Chardon, OH
Geauga County Prosecutor
Role
Chief legal officer of the county. Prosecutes felony crimes. Represents the county in civil litigation, including tax foreclosure cases.
Officeholder
James R. Flaiz
Address
231 Main Street, Suite 3A (Courthouse Annex), Chardon, OH 44024
Phone
Website
For real estate: Handles tax foreclosure cases on behalf of the Treasurer.
Chardon, OH
Geauga County Board of Elections
Role
Administers all federal, state, county, and local elections in Geauga County. Maintains voter registration records and election results.
Officeholder
Tyler Plants, Director
Address
12611 Ravenwood Drive, Suite 004 (Basement Level), Chardon, OH 44024
Phone
Website
For real estate: Verifies precincts and polling locations by address. Useful when buyers want to confirm voting district for a prospective property.
Chardon, OH
Geauga County Board of Commissioners
Role
Three-member elected board responsible for county-wide budget, infrastructure, county personnel, and intergovernmental coordination.
Officeholder
Carolyn Brakey, Jim Dvorak, Ralph Spidalieri
Address
12611 Ravenwood Drive, Suite 350 (3rd Floor), Chardon, OH 44024
Phone
Email
Website
For real estate: Approves county-level zoning changes, infrastructure projects, and policy decisions affecting development.
Sec 3a | Real Estate Resources
Four county-managed online resources that real estate professionals, homebuyers, sellers, and investors use directly. All four are operated by offices listed in Sec 3 above.
Managed by Geauga County Auditor
Geauga REALink
Free public search of property records, valuations, parcel data, ownership history, and tax records across all 33 taxing districts in Geauga County. Includes property search, GIS mapping, and tax distribution information.
URL
Managed by Geauga County Treasurer
Geauga Tax Payments
Online portal for paying real estate taxes via E-Check or credit card. View current tax bills, payment history, and payment program options.
URL
Managed by Geauga County Sheriff Civil Division
Sheriff Sales
Current and upcoming foreclosure auctions, ordered by the Court of Common Pleas. Sales are conducted at the door of the Geauga County Courthouse (100 Short Court Street, Chardon) at 10:00 AM, with terms and minimum bids posted prior to each sale.
URL
Managed by Geauga County Probate / Juvenile Court
Good Deeds Program
Free deed review program co-founded in 2012 by Judge Timothy J. Grendell and the County Recorder. Helps Geauga County property owners and seniors understand probate-related property transfer issues before they become problems.
URL
Sec 4 | About this page
