TRUMBULL COUNTY Carson opts to get out of jail business

Commissioners don't see a conflict of interest in the administrator's roles.
By STEPHEN SIFFand PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Trumbull County Administrator Tony Carson has decided to get out of the jail business after the county prosecutor said he might ask the Ohio Ethics Commission to review Carson's involvement.
Carson, whom county commissioners promoted from purchasing director to county administrator this month, owns Warren Area Sentencing Program, a private jail that takes county inmates, and also the Central District Court building, which he rents to the county.
His new job responsibilities include assisting commissioners with a budget that includes the courts and serving as their liaison to "department heads and elected officials," which would presumably include judges.
Commissioners Joseph Angelo Jr. and James Tsagaris sent a letter Wednesday informing Prosecutor Dennis Watkins of Carson's decision to divest himself of the private jail he operates in rented space in the Warren Police station.
"Tony Carson is going to get rid of the WASP program," Angelo said. He said he did not know if Carson was selling it, or to whom.
"The letter speaks for itself," Carson said today. He did not elaborate.
Inquired about duties
Last week, Watkins asked the commissioners for Carson's job duties as administrator and if there would be any changes in Carson's outside business arrangements.
"Following my review of this information, it may be necessary to obtain a written opinion from the Ohio Ethics Commission to determine the role that the Trumbull County Administrator may take in these questioned areas," the prosecutor wrote.
"At the beginning, everyone said it was OK and there was no problem. Now, they say there may be a problem. I don't know why this is happening. I really don't know," Tsagaris said.
Last week, Carson had a local attorney tell The Vindicator that WASP would no longer accept inmates from Trumbull County, after learning that the newspaper was working on a story about potential conflicts of interest. Although Carson's program did not receive payments directly from the county, each inmate sent there is required to pay about $50 a day.
Judge Ronald Rice of Eastern District Court and Judge Thomas Campbell of Central District Court both said that in the past, Carson has frequently solicited them to send more inmates to his program.
Angelo said there would be no reason for Carson to get rid of the Central District Court building, which he began leasing to the county in 1999, while he was an employee of the county auditor's.
"There was no question at the time of a conflict of interest," Angelo said. "I don't think there would be any conflict now."
Prohibited by law
State law generally prohibits county workers from doing business with their employer. However, James Misocky, first assistant prosecutor, has said Carson's lease with the county met a set of exceptions that prohibit preferential treatment or inside dealing.
The 10-year lease was awarded through competitive bidding, and the county withstood legal challenges from a losing bidder in both the Trumbull County Common Pleas Court and the 11th District Court of Appeals.
To avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, Carson did not participate in the budget hearing for Central District Court, Angelo said. As well, Carson only makes recommendations on the budget, which commissioners can approve or deny, he said. "There is no problem," Angelo said.
Carson makes $54,000 a year from the lease and $61,943 as county administrator. Income from his jail program is not public information.