Miller, Gallitto for trustee of Boardman Township

After six years in office you would think that Boardman Township Trustee Thomas P. Costello would instinctively come down on the side of open government. Imagine our surprise, therefore, when, during an endorsement interview, Costello appeared to suggest that there is nothing wrong with trustees getting together in private to exchange ideas.
"We should be able to discuss without an open microphone," he told Vindicator writers. " ... We need to know what our colleagues are thinking before hearing it for the first time in open meeting."
Talk about being out of touch with reality.
We might have been inclined to chalk those comments up to interview jitters or a misunderstanding of what Ohio's open meetings law is about. But given all that has occurred with the board of trustees over the past four years, we believe his attitude feeds the public's negative perception of township government.
Costello is seeking re-election Tuesday, but his return would simply mean more of the same: He and Trustee Elaine Mancini, who isn't on the ballot this year, working in unison, while Trustee Kathy Miller, who is seeking a second four-year term Tuesday, being generally shunned.
Such dysfunction is not good for Boardman Township.
After careful consideration, The Vindicator has concluded that a change is necessary in the way the people's business is conducted.
Thus, we endorse Robyn Gallitto, a lawyer who has done her homework with regard to the operation of the township and has a firm grasp of the issues, to replace Costello.
Gallitto certainly is more knowledgeable about the state's open meetings and public records laws than the incumbent.
And we support Miller for re-election because of her strong commitment to throwing open the doors and windows of government so taxpayers have an unfiltered view of how their money is being spent and how major decisions are made and carried out.
There are two other challengers in the race, Frank A. Martin and Larry Moliterno, who also make a strong case for their candidacies. However, given the battles that have occurred over such issues as Miller's wanting to attend contract negotiations as an observer, a lawyer on the board would be valuable in providing initial guidance.
Miller, who has a master's degree in public administration, was blocked from sitting in on labor talks by an opinion from the county prosecutor's office. The opinion was sought by township Administrator Curt Seditz, who serves as chief negotiator. Rather than challenge the prosecutor's reading of the law, Costello and Mancini were only too happy to slam the door on their colleague.
Ethics commission
Gallitto, on the other hand, wrote to the Ohio Ethics Commission and received an opinion that, in effect, supports Miller's right as a trustee to observe contract talks and then vote on subsequent labor agreements.
Gallitto's willingness to get first-hand information is to be commended and, we believe, it is indicative of the kind of trustee she would be if elected.
As for Miller, her first four years have been a challenge in light of the Mancini-Costello coalition, but she has persisted and has refused to be intimidated by her colleagues. There are many important issues confronting Boardman -- at the top of the list are flooding, traffic congestion on U.S. Route 224 and the need to keep the cost of government in check -- that require thoughtful, respectful deliberation from the trustees. We do not believe the current composition of the board is conducive to such deliberation.
The Vindicator urges the re-election of Miller and the election of Gallitto so the people's business will be conducted in the glare of the public spotlight.