MAHONING COUNTY Financial planning panel gets organized

About $116,000 is in the general-fund account, so employees will be paid.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CAMPBELL -- The seven-member group that will develop the plan for the city's fiscal recovery elected officers, reviewed auditors' findings and set the tone for meetings during its first session Wednesday morning.
"The state has not formed this commission to take control of Campbell. We're here to guide you through the steps to recovery," said Sharon Hanrahan, senior analyst, planning and special projects, with the state office of budget and management.
Hanrahan is chairwoman of Campbell's financial planning and supervision commission.
Vice chairman for the group is Anthony Fontes, owner of Tiny Tots Child Development Center and Progressive Management Training Center.
Secretary is Jacqueline M. Mickler, branch manager and assistant vice president of First National Bank and Investment Services, Campbell.
Other commission members are Mayor Jack Dill; Robert P. Yankle, president of city council; Paul Zuzik, a lifelong Campbell resident and semiretired certified public accountant; and Paul Steiner of the state treasurer's office.
The commission has 120 days from its first meeting to submit a recovery plan.
Members serve voluntarily with no compensation, and unlike many organizations that require a simple majority for quorum, Ohio law mandates that at least five members of the commission be present to take action.
Public participation
Commission meetings are open to the public although, because of time restraints, public participation is confined to its designated place on the agenda and will be limited to 30 minutes total with each speaker allotted no more than five minutes, Hanrahan explained.
The commission's first goal, said Nita R. Hendryx, assistant chief project manager with the state auditor's Northeast Region, is to curtail expenditures so that the city does not continue to spend more than it takes in.
Currently, the city has some $819,000 in outstanding bills and leases and has overspent some $360,800 from the general fund, primarily for city employees' salaries and benefits, Hendryx elaborated. The city also failed to make payroll July 16. About $116,000 is currently on deposit in the general fund account, Hendryx continued.
So, Mayor Dill said, employees will be paid this week. After making the $75,000 payroll, $41,000 will remain in the account and the city will still be one payday behind.
The commission's next regular meeting will be at 11:30 a.m. Aug. 19 in council chambers. Hanrahan said an emergency meeting could be called before that.
kubik@vindy.com