YOUNGSTOWN Overhaul plan upsets county clerk

Vivo has files full of statistics, but no one has asked for them.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Tony Vivo, Mahoning County clerk of courts, has a bone to pick with community leaders who want to revamp the county's four area courts.
He's upset that his office has been left out of discussions in the overhaul plan and wonders why it's being pursued.
The county's corrections planning board has proposed legislation that would convert the area courts in Austintown, Boardman, Canfield and Sebring from part time to full time. The change would prohibit judges from maintaining private practices on the side.
The board also wants to eventually consolidate the courts into one or two buildings but has said that probably won't happen for several years.
Not contacted: The planning board has worked on the proposal for more than a year, but Vivo said no one has contacted him or any members of his staff for input.
"It boggles my mind that we are not even a part of the equation," Vivo said.
He said making judges full time instead of part time won't have an impact on his staff because court clerks already work full time. The consolidation factor, though, will have an impact, and he wants to talk about it.
Mark Huberman, planning board chairman, could not be reached to comment.
Audit: Vivo said it's ironic that the planning board is moving ahead when the courts are already subject to scrutiny from the state auditor's office.
County commissioners voted in January to spend $250,000 for a performance audit of county operations including the county courts.
The audit will examine the court system and recommend ways to improve it, including whether the courts should be consolidated. Vivo said the final report should be ready this summer.
Vivo said he's in favor of going to full-time judges and consolidating the courts but thinks the consolidation issue should be put on hold until after the performance audit is finished.
"I think they're putting the cart before the horse here," Vivo said. "I think we should wait and see what the audit says before we do anything."