Officials continue feud over auditor

Adrian Biviano and former Mayor Dan Sferra want the auditor's job.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Fireworks between Trumbull County Commissioners Paul Heltzel and Daniel Polivka ignited again Thursday, when Heltzel responded to criticism that commissioners acted too slowly to appoint an interim auditor.
Heltzel, at the end of the commissioners' weekly meeting, said he wanted to clarify that he pushed last week for appointing a replacement for David Hines, who resigned the position in December, so that there would be no interruption of service for the auditor's office. Commissioners Dan Polivka and James Tsagaris said they wanted to wait, he said.
Heltzel also said he had asked Common Pleas Court Judge Peter Kontos to come to the commissioners' meeting Tuesday to swear in Adrian Biviano, chief deputy auditor, to avoid delays in getting the office operational.
What was done
Instead, Polivka and Tsagaris voted to have Information Services Director Linda Sypert fill the auditor's position for seven days, saying appointing Biviano would have shown favoritism to one of two Democrats seeking the Jan. 10 appointment. That's when the central committee of the Trumbull County Democratic Party will vote on the replacement.
Biviano and former Warren Mayor Dan Sferra have expressed a desire to be appointed.
County officials had decided to refuse to make title transfers Tuesday and early Wednesday until Sypert had been sworn in and arranged to be bonded.
In heated remarks, Polivka said he didn't know why the office couldn't have remained operational through the transition.
He also said he felt that the auditor's office under Hines had not cooperated with the commissioners as much as auditors in other counties cooperated with their commissioners. Biviano has been chief deputy in the department for 10 years.
Polivka said he felt auditor's office personnel should sit in on all budget hearings, not just the budget hearings for its department.
Tsagaris was having a routine medical procedure Thursday and did not attend the meeting.
runyan@vindy.com