BROOKFIELD SCHOOLS Pasquerilla proves his residency valid

The complainant didn't like the winner's politics during the campaign.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A successful candidate for Brookfield Board of Education won another battle Tuesday, when he convinced the Trumbull County Board of Elections that he is a legitimate resident of Brookfield Township.
Joseph D. Pasquerilla, top vote-getter in the Nov. 8 general election with 1,758 votes, defended his residency by showing copies of bills and statements, which indicate that he lives at 7628 Francis St., Masury, in the Brookfield school district.
In the end, the board agreed with him and voted 3-0 to reject a complaint challenging his residency.
Helen Hegedus of 33 Manor Drive, Brookfield, filed a complaint with the board just after the election saying she felt Pasquerilla actually lived at 7612 Catherine St. in Hubbard Township and was not eligible to run for office or vote in Brookfield.
Making claims
Hegedus cited records indicating that the Brookfield Township home Pasquerilla said he lives in had only one bedroom and one bathroom housing some 10 people.
"How are that many people residing in a house with one bedroom and one bath?" Hegedus asked the board.
Meanwhile, she said she saw a large number of people coming and going at the Hubbard Township home. She admitted she hadn't actually seen Pasquerilla or his family at the home because she didn't know who he was or what he looked like.
Hegedus said she didn't like Pasquerilla's politics during the campaign because he was advocating policies that would cut funding, saying "I'm thinking about the kids." She said she felt it was wrong for him to be able to "move into your parents' house to run for election."
Pasquerilla then explained to the elections board that he, his wife and his son had moved into the Brookfield Township house to live with his father in May from the Hubbard Township house, and that his current residence actually has five bedrooms, two bathrooms and two kitchens.
In defense
Pasquerilla said he lived in the Hubbard Township home about 18 years but moved into his father's house so his father would not be alone. He said his children have always attended Brookfield schools. Before this year, they attended on an open enrollment policy, he said.
He cited Ohio law that indicates that the criteria for establishing residency is that the person intends to reside there permanently. He presented such items as a photocopyof his driver's license, utility bills, bank statements, and his wife's work-related mailings to demonstrate his intention to reside in Brookfield Township.
He said the reason he has so many people living with him is because his sister and her family lives there, too. He said a sister-in-law lives in his old house in Hubbard Township.
Pasquerilla was one of 12 candidates for three seats on the board. The two others elected were Stephen J. Varga, who got 1,570 votes; and Dean A. Fisher, who had 1,261.
After the hearing, Pasquerilla said he felt the complaint was a "case of sour grapes" because Hegedus is friends with another candidate who did not win.
Pasquerilla said as a former high school guidance counselor for 30 years, he is not against kids. But he has gained a reputation as being anti-tax and believes that position was well received in the school district because of the high number of votes he received.
runyan@vindy.com