HUBBARD Magee: Service is top priority

Look for new administrators when Magee takes office.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HUBBARD -- In his first official act after taking over the mayor's office Jan. 1, Arthur U. Magee will preside over a marriage ceremony.
The next day, he plans to "lower the boom."
"This sitting on the sidelines is killing me. I can't do anything," the 67-year-old former mayor and Trumbull County commissioner said of his inability to make any decisions affecting the community since defeating Mayor George Praznik.
With faith in Auditor Michael Villano, Magee said he will put together a financial statement to determine where the money is.
"There is nothing more important than that," Magee said. "It determines what you can do and what you can't do."
Magee said it's a must for him to know the city's income, expenses, debt payments and money generated through grants.
Services will be his administration's highest priority as he plans to use his experience at the local, state and federal governments.
Planning will be the key word, he said, explaining that his safety director, service director and department heads will be required to plan.
It increases the efficiency of city workers "so we're just not driving around," he said. Also, there will be no need for part-time council members to perform administrative functions.
Criticism of predecessor
A weakness of Praznik's, Magee said, has been his failures as an administrator.
He called attention to $2.2 million worth of generators not being installed for two years and services to a housing development when the city hadn't dedicated its streets.
Magee said there will be no city services permitted on undedicated streets, saying it's a matter of equal treatment.
Magee also called attention to the two years it took the former mayor to annex the city's sewage treatment plant from the township into the city and that no discipline was taken against the head of the electric department after he beat a DUI charge on a technicality.
The court ruled there was no probable cause for police to stop electric Superintendent Joseph Slick in his car, although an officer had earlier taken him home because he had been drinking.
"Who the hell is running things?" Magee asked.
Planned changes
Department heads will be held more accountable for themselves and their departments, Magee said.
"Everybody's going to be under the microscope," he said.
There will be administrative changes -- Safety Director Robert Paterniti and Service Director William Colletta won't be kept on.
Magee said Paterniti will not be replaced by a person with police experience, thus eliminating former Chief Ray Moffitt from being named to the post.
He wants his safety and service directors to be administrators who can view from the outside the departments they will be responsible for.
Of the two positions, the service director will have the more difficult job, Magee asserted, because of the emphasis on service.
"I want to spoil the people in this community as far as safety and service is concerned," he promised, without increasing taxes.
"You just can't be raising taxes," he said. "You have to be more efficient."
Magee said he and his safety and service directors will be available once a month so residents can drop in to tell them how the administration is doing and what they want done.
Another position Magee has his eye on is the assistant engineer. It's a union position held by Robert Toth, who doesn't have any engineering background.
Magee wants the job to be exempted from union protection. He thinks the post should concentrate on the enforcement of zoning and building regulations to help clean up the city.
Another area Magee wants to address is creation of a city-owned cable franchise.
He said residents are constantly complaining about the high cost of Time Warner Cable, and the city may be able to operate a cable service. But "maybe it's not practical or feasible," he said.
yovich@vindy.com