YOUNGSTOWN County plans to hire Engler company

There is no conflict of interest, a state official says.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Mahoning County commissioners plan to hire a company, whose chief executive officer is former Commissioner David Engler, for $7,500 to collect outdated computers.
The commissioners were prepared to hire LightGov of Boardman on Tuesday, but postponed a vote until Thursday at the request of Commissioner David Ludt.
Ludt said he asked to postpone the vote for two days because he was under the impression that the county was going to get paid for the computer collection, and not the other way around. Ludt said he has no concerns that Engler is the company's CEO.
Engler was out of town Tuesday and couldn't be reached. He attended a commissioners meeting last week. At that meeting, Engler made public comments touting the county's domestic relations and juvenile courts, and announced an open house for one of his businesses. He made no public statements about the county contract.
State finds no conflict
Jennifer Hardin, the Ohio Ethics Commission's chief advisory attorney, said there is no conflict of interest involved with either Engler's seeking a contract for his company from the county commissioners or with the commissioners' approving the deal.
Engler resigned as a commissioner in 1999. He serves as a member of the Mahoning County Educational Service Center.
"It's already starting," said Commissioner Ed Reese in response to a question about Engler's company. "He's allowed to make a living."
County Administrator Gary Kubic said there is nothing questionable about hiring Engler's company.
"A conflict of interest doesn't exist," he said. "He's a citizen and he should be accorded the same privileges as everyone else."
LightGov was hired last week by the Youngstown Board of Control for $18,000 to collect delinquent parking fines. Engler also is a former Youngstown councilman.
Also, Trumbull County commissioners approved a contract in July 2001 to have LightGov create a Web page for the county dog warden for $6,500, as well as $1,000 a year to maintain the page, and $2 for each dog license sold over the Internet.
LightGov also has contracts with other governmental agencies outside the Mahoning Valley.
If approved by Mahoning commissioners, LightGov would be paid $7,500 to collect unwanted computers from county residents through a program similar to one to dispose of unwanted household goods.
The company has some of the computers refurbished, which are then sold. Those that aren't salvageable are recycled in compliance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards, says the company's Web site.
skolnick@vindy.com