MAHONING VALLEY Many file petitions for fall elections

The Lowellville mayor has changed his retirement plans over a pay raise.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
The list is long -- 17 candidates to be exact -- of people who filed to run for four seats on the Youngstown Board of Education.
It's quite the contrast from 1999, the last time there were four seats up for election on the board. During that year, only four people ran for the seats.
Terri O'Connor-Brown and Geraldine Sullivan are seeking re-election. Board members Clarence Boles and Tracey S. Monroe-Winbush are not running again. Boles is running for the 6th Ward seat on city council, and Monroe-Winbush is vying for the council presidency.
Among the challengers are Don L. Hanni III, who served on the school board from 1990-99; Kathryn Hawks Haney, founder of the Give the Children a Chance, a local charitable organization; Joe Louis Teague, who was defeated in the 2002 Democratic primary for the 17th Congressional District seat; Oliver Weaver, who received 5 percent of the vote in the 2001 school board race; and Michelle Wrona and Patricia Dougan, attorneys at Northeast Ohio Legal Services.
Deadline to file
Candidates in nonpartisan elections such as school boards, township boards of trustees and clerk had until Thursday to file nominating petitions for the Nov. 4 general election. Boards of elections have until Thursday to certify the validity of the petitions.
In Mahoning County, every township trustee and clerk who was up for re-election is seeking it.
A number of races include familiar names.
Austintown Trustee Rich Edwards is being challenged by five people, including Lisa Oles, who lost to him in 2001 by fewer than 100 votes for an unexpired term on the board.
In Boardman, Trustee Elaine Mancini, a 12-year incumbent, is being challenged by Paul E. Shovlin, who unsuccessfully ran for a trustee seat in 2001 and is a former trustee, and Linda J. Kovachik, who used to work as an aide to former U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr.
In Poland, Catherine Stacy, who was forced to resign in February as township clerk after the Ohio Ethics Commission and the Mahoning County Prosecutor's Office ruled it was improper for her to hold that job and as the police secretary, is running for the position. She has filed a lawsuit seeking to get back the clerk's job. She is challenging Joseph J. Granitto, who was selected by the township trustees to replace her. Also, Lisa M. Reardon is running for the position.
Lowellville Mayor Joseph J. Rossi, who has served as mayor or councilman in the village for more than 30 years, was prepared to retire this year.
But recent action by the village council to increase their salaries from $1,200 annually to $3,300 a year upset him so much that he is running for a seat on the body.
Rossi said he and Alan L. Russo, the son of a former village mayor, are running together to get on council to reverse the salary increase legislation. Councilmen James Alfano and Rotunno, who voted for the pay raise, are seeking re-election. Also running for the two seats are Michele Packner and Paul Meehan.
Two Lowellville council members -- Keith McCaughtry and James Iudiciani Sr. -- are running to replace Rossi as mayor.
Trumbull County
In Trumbull County, notable candidates include George Buccella, a former Traficant aide, who is running to regain the Weathersfield Township trustee seat he lost in 2001.
Buccella was also administrator of the Trumbull County Board of Health until he was fired by the new health commissioner last year.
Also running for the Weathersfield seat are incumbent James W. Price, Richard T. Harkins and community activist John Vogel.
In Warren, longtime school board member Robert Angelo did not file to seek another term. Another term on the board is being sought by Nick Frankos Sr., however, who admitted being picked up in a raid on a gambling house last year. He has not been charged.
Only one person has filed to run for the two seats up for grabs on the Lordstown school board -- Todd A. Wells of Palmyra Road, N.W. Longtime board member Becky Albrecht and Gary Koch, who was elected in November 2001 to fill the unexpired term of another member, are not seeking re-election.
There are also no candidates for West Farmington clerk and two council seats.
In Niles, Rocky Riviella, who ran unsuccessfully in May for a city council seat, is not seeking re-election to the school board.
Columbiana County
In Columbiana County, the major issue facing voters is whether to adopt a 50-cent surcharge on monthly telephone bills to help pay for creation of a modernized 911 system.
Nonpartisan contests in the county include a crowded race for Salem school board.
Seven candidates are vying for the three open seats, including the board members holding the posts -- Don Finch, Ken Kenst and Dr. Paul Shivers.
Salem schools faces a financial crunch and an ongoing criminal investigation into its treasurer's office.
XContributors: Stephen Siff, Vindicator Trumbull staff, and Norman Leigh, Vindicator Salem bureau.