Checks were not bribes, owner of company says

The company owner says he has been fixing boilers for the county for 24 years.
By STEPHEN SIFF
AND PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Two company checks totaling $900 that were cashed by a friend of Tony Delmont's were not bribes, says Dennis Pirko, owner of Northern Engineering Co. of North Jackson.
Rather, the checks bearing that company's name and made out to cash were for the purchase of "tangible goods" from Delmont, Pirko said.
Delmont, a 27-year Trumbull County employee, was fired by commissioners Wednesday from his $71,000-a-year job as county maintenance department director for a range of infractions, including "acts of dishonesty and other failures of good behavior."
He has pleaded innocent to criminal charges of bribery, theft in office and money laundering.
Prosecutors detailed numerous allegations against Delmont in calling for his termination. Among them was that Delmont accepted two checks in 1998 as bribes from Pirko, and that Delmont had a friend, Marietta Brzeczek, cash them in order to conceal the transaction.
"I have never paid a bribe," Pirko said.
With all the county buildings, there is plenty of work fixing boilers for his one-person company, Pirko said. He said he has been doing work for Trumbull County for 24 years, before Delmont became head of the maintenance department.
Pirko would not say exactly what those tangible goods were that he bought.
He said he made many purchases from Delmont over the years.
"I bought an automobile from him, other things from him," Pirko said. "You know somebody, they have something, they want to get rid of it or whatever. That's commerce."
Attorney agrees
One of the attorneys representing Delmont thinks Pirko is telling the truth.
"They were not bribes," said Atty. Dan Thomas. "He absolutely paid for something."
He's just not sure what.
"We are still in the process of going through everything," Thomas said.
Pirko said he was out of the country when allegations surrounding his company surfaced two weeks ago.
Acting on the recommendation of county Prosecutor Dennis Watkins, county commissioners asked department heads to cease doing business with Pirko and put a hold on the payments totaling $1,350 for work already done.
Watkins said he was told by county employees that Pirko did work without authorization.
Pirko said he had authorization for the work and he has subsequently talked to prosecutors. "There is a good chance, I suppose, I won't have to take any legal action to get the money," he said.
Watkins declined to comment except to say that Pirko has refused to cooperate with the prosecutor's office.
According to records kept by the county auditor's office, Pirko billed the county $12,713 in 2003 and $41,524 in 2002.
Not licensed
According to the Ohio Construction Examining Board, Pirko is not licensed to work on heating and air conditioning units. His license expired in 1995, officials said.
Delmont could not be reached to comment to find out why he allowed Pirko to do work on the county's heating and air conditioning systems when Pirko was not licensed.
In order to do work on air conditioning and heating units in Warren, a contractor must be registered, said Chris Tanneyhill, the city's building official.
The county buildings where Pirko did his work are located in Warren.
"To be registered in the city of Warren, a person has to complete a form and show us proof of their state license," Tanneyhill said. "Without a license, they don't get registered."
If a person does work in the city and is not registered, he is given a warning. The person then has 20 days to get registered.
"If the person does not become registered, I then cite them in Warren Municipal Court," Tanneyhill said.