GIRARD Three picked for oversight

The city council president has yet to name a representative.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD -- The seven-member oversight commission to dig the city out of red ink is nearly in place.
Mayor James Melfi told city council Monday night that Gov. Bob Taft has selected three members recommended by him and Leo Grimes, city council president.
They are Carl C. Culp, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Farmers National Bank; Robert L. Delisio, president and chief operating officer of Landmark Group; and John J. Masternick, corporate attorney for Windsor House Inc.
Establishment of a fiscal planning and supervision commission is required when the state auditor places a community under fiscal emergency.
State Auditor Jim Petro put the city under emergency status Aug. 8 because it has been unable to make payments on loans and city departments have deficits in their operations budgets.
City Auditor Sam Zirafi has said the city will end the year with a $1 million deficit.
Other board members: Melfi said he will serve on the committee. Grimes or his designee also can serve on the commission.
Grimes said Monday that he will not serve, and will pick another council member. Grimes is leaving office at the end of the year after losing a re-election bid in the May primary.
The other two members have been named by the state treasurer and state's Office of Budget and Management.
Tim Clark, treasurer's spokesman, said Monday that Paul Steiner, director of the state's sinking fund, will serve on the commission. Clark said Steiner represents the treasurer on all the oversight commissions in the state.
Tim Keen, OBM assistant director, said Joe Gray, an OBM budget and management analyst, will serve as chairman.
Gray serves on most municipal oversight commissions, Keen said, noting a commission meeting will be called as soon as Gray has a list of all seven members.
Wage freeze: Council approved legislation to halt wage increases to city employees, excluding those who have union contracts with the city.
During the council session, city Treasurer John Martin told lawmakers that income tax revenue has not picked up. The city collected $255,127 in August, $58,362 less than was collected in August 2000.
Through August of this year, the city has collected $2,455,594, or $147,994 less than during the same period in 2000.
Both Martin and Law Director Mark Standohar said the city has received payments from parties that are delinquent, and will file charges against those owing the city money.
yovich@vindy.com