Panel recommends full-time tax post

Panel recommendsfull-time tax post
WARREN -- A committee charged with making suggestions to improve city income tax collections has a plan.
Council's finance committee heard the panel's recommendation Monday to establish the full-time position of tax administrator, reporting to the city's part-time treasurer.
Council made the treasurer's post part-time earlier this year. It is an elective office and newcomer John Taylor unseated Patricia Leon-Games in the November election.
Both worked with the committee to map out a job description and qualifications for the tax administrator.
Job duties recommended by the council-appointed committee include assisting with income tax collections. Suggested qualifications are an associate's degree in finance, accounting or a related field. The committee said, however, that it prefers candidates have four-year degrees.
Officials have said the treasurer will handle city investments.
A search for candidates will be started once council decides on proposed changes.
The idea to restructure the income tax department came after a state performance audit showed inefficient practices had prohibited the maximum collection of taxes.
Probe continuesinto traffic accident
SOUTHINGTON -- The investigation continues into an accident in which a Youngstown man died after being thrown from his vehicle early Monday at U.S. Route 422 and Phalanx Mills Road.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol here said Edward Wilson, 53, was westbound on 422, pulling a trailer when Sadie Winkleman, 49, of Newton Falls, pulled into his path from Phalanx Mills Road.
Wilson swerved, but Winkleman's vehicle hit the trailer, rolling Wilson's vehicle twice. A passenger with Wilson was partially thrown out in the 5:10 a.m. accident.
Winkleman and her passenger and three passengers with Wilson were treated for injuries.
Cortland raises
CORTLAND --The city's nine service department employees are getting raises.
Council approved a three-year contract Monday under which the workers will get a 62-cent-per-hour raise each year.
Service director Paul Makosky said the highest paid service employee will now earn $17.23 an hour, while new employees earn $11.15 the first year of the contract.
Sexual assault
BRISTOL -- Trumbull County sheriff's detectives were to question more people today in the reported sexual assault of a 5-year-old girl.
Capt. Gary Bacon said no arrests have been made.
The girl was in satisfactory condition today in Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland.
Authorities say the girl's 14-year-old stepbrother called 911 around 8 p.m. Saturday to say his sister had been hurt.
Shots at party
GIRARD -- Police want to question a Sharon, Pa., man about his possible involvement in the firing of shots during a party early today.
According to a police report, a woman at the party at Shannon Terrace Apartments got a call about 3 a.m. The caller was upset that she was at the party and he was invited over to talk about it.
The report said that a van containing one, perhaps two men, approached Highland and Park avenues where people from the party were standing and shots were fired.
The suspects were being sought this morning.
PELC graduate
GIRARD -- Police Capt. Frank Bigowsky has graduated from the Law Enforcement Foundation's Police Executive Leadership College.
PELC is a three-week leadership program for law enforcement executives. Bigowsky has been on the Girard force 27 years.
Assaults investigated
CRAIG BEACH -- Mahoning County deputy sheriffs are investigating two assaults on Grandview Road over the weekend.
A man attacked by three people in his driveway at 11 p.m. Sunday said an unknown object was placed around his neck while another attacker punched him in the face.
He was knocked unconscious.
Another man said the estranged husband of his girlfriend punched him in the face and threatened to kill him Saturday morning in the parking lot of a grocery store.