HAGAN CAMPAIGN Precinct members are miffed over signs

The nominee said candidate signs in Democratic yards is local tradition.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Sign, sign, everywhere a sign -- even in places where they aren't wanted.
State Sen. Robert F. Hagan's Youngstown mayoral campaign placed signs in the yards of the city's Democratic precinct committee members.
The problem is a few of the committee members aren't supporting Hagan, the party's mayoral nominee, and aren't pleased his campaign put the signs in their yards without permission.
"I can't believe someone would trespass and put a sign on my property," said Josephine Hulett, Democratic committeewoman for Youngstown Precinct 2F on Himrod Avenue. "You can't do this. You have to ask the person even if they are a Democratic precinct member."
Hulett pulled the Hagan sign out of her yard after finding it there Monday. Hulett is supporting Maggy Lorenzi, an independent candidate for mayor.
"It's arrogance by the Hagan campaign," she said. "I couldn't believe it when I saw it in my yard."
Standard procedure
Hagan acknowledged that his campaign didn't receive approval from every precinct committee member to put signs in their yards. But, he said, "It's a tradition. It's standard operating procedure. Democratic precinct committee people should support the Democratic nominee and want the signs in their yards."
If precinct committee members don't support him, Hagan said they can take down and/or return the signs to his campaign. Hagan said he has more than 1,000 yards signs in the city.
Shirley O'Hara of Lynn Avenue said she spotted the Hagan sign Monday in her yard. She lives with her son, Michael, who is the Democratic committeeman for Youngstown Precinct 7L. Like Hulett, the O'Haras support Lorenzi. Michael O'Hara couldn't be reached Tuesday for comment.
"No one knocked on our door, and no one in our home authorized" placing the sign in their yard, Shirley O'Hara said. "I can't understand why [Hagan] would allow this to happen."
Hulett said the same thing happened to Georgeann McDougall of Shelby Road, Democratic committeewoman for Youngstown Precinct 5K. She couldn't be reached Tuesday to comment.
Even a Hagan supporter was surprised to see the candidate's sign in her yard.
Debbie Barber of Drake Avenue, Democratic committeewoman for Youngstown Precinct 2I, said she told Mahoning County Democratic officials last week that she's supporting Hagan and would give them a list of 10 locations in her precinct for yard signs. Before she could submit the list, Barber saw a Hagan sign in her yard.
"It's not a big deal to me because I would have given them permission to put it there," she said. "But it would have been nice to be asked."
skolnick@vindy.com