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Ohio Commission Divided On River Downs Action Vote to GrantTwoAdditional Days 2-to-l With Gombos Dissenting COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 11. Over the protest of Chairman Zoltan Gombos, the state racing commission voted two-to-one to issue a permit to River Downs for two additional days of racing June 4 and 5. The action followed the decision of the Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Charles Bell in. a suit brought by the River Downs management. Judge Bell ordered the commission to grant the two days and if the commission refused to grant the permit his decision would serve as such authority. Commissioners John Crowley and William Johnson voted in favor of granting River Downs the permit but Chairman Gombos voted against it. Commissioner Otto Elliot did not vote. Later, the commission passed the motion unanimously. Hugh A. Sherer, of State Attorney General C. William ONeills staff, advised the board to abide by Judge Bells order thus risking the possibility of being cited for contempt of court. However, Chairman Gombos said he had consulted a number of legal authorities on the matter and expressed the opinion that Judge Bell had "overstepped his bounds" in making decision. Gombos first even threatened to resign from the board if a "county judge" held such power. Whether the commission will appeal Judge Bells decision is undetermined. Earlier secretary Ed Corrigan had said the verdict would be appealed. Chairman Gombos said he favored an appeal but commissioner Crowley spoke against such a move. The board did note vote on the matter. Ike Bassett, Jockeys Guild representative, appeared before the commission at the invitation of secretary Corrigan and re- viewed "the Ascot Park situation" for the board.
