CAMPBELL Judge withholds ruling on fire chief test eligibility

The firefighter claims he should have been promoted to captain, which would have made him eligible to take the exam.
YOUNGSTOWN -- The results of a civil service test that will determine the next Campbell fire chief remained sealed Wednesday after a Mahoning County judge heard arguments, but made no ruling, in a case that will determine who had the right to take the test.
Judge Robert G. Lisotto of common pleas court discussed the case with attorneys in chambers but made no decision on whether Firefighter Greg Rosile should have been permitted to take the fire chief test.
Usually, only captains are permitted to take the chief's test, but through a November ruling, Judge Lisotto allowed Rosile to take the test pending a final decision in the case. He also ruled that the results be sealed pending further order.
Rosile claims he should have been promoted to captain on two previous occasions, and he should now be a captain eligible to take the test.
Others who took test: Besides Rosile, chief David Horvath and captains Nick Hrelec and Gene Skelley took the fire chief test in November. The test was administered because the 7th District Court of Appeals ruled that Horvath was improperly promoted in 1996 after then-chief Roy Stanfar suffered a heart attack.
Also at issue is whether Skelley, who was promoted to captain in September 1997, should have been permitted to take the test.
Hrelec argues that Skelley is not eligible for the chief's position because he had not served as captain when Stanfar's position officially became vacant in July 1997. The city argues that the appellate court ruling ordering the testing came this year when Skelley had reached eligibility.
On Dec. 11, Hrelec took his argument to the 7th District Court of Appeals, requesting that the court prohibit the city and the its civil service commission from accepting the test results of Skelley and Rosile.