Melfi best qualified to serve as Trumbull commissioner

Whoever is elected Trumbull County commissioner this year will inevitably have to deal with a budget crisis during the four-year term. That is the reality of government today at all levels. So, the question confronting voters in the May 2 Democratic primary is this: Which of the five candidates for the party nomination is best qualified to deal with government in crisis?
The answer clearly is James Melfi, the mayor of the city of Girard. When Melfi took office in 2000, the city was in the midst of a financial collapse, which resulted in Ohio's auditor declaring fiscal emergency in 2001. With an overall debt of $2.7 million, the state fiscal commission appointed to oversee Girard's budget made it clear that tough decisions were called for to erase the red ink.
Melfi, who has a bachelor's degree in economics and was in business before his 11-year tenure as city treasurer, not only developed a plan to eliminate waste, but also reorganized government so it was able to operate with 30 less employees.
Thus today, the mayor is not only taking about eliminating the remaining $941,474 operating debt this year, but believes if everything falls into place the budget could have a $271,000 surplus.
Given that most of the general fund money spent by government goes for salaries and benefits, knowing how to cut payroll without depriving taxpayers of the services they expect is a skill that few officeholders possess.
With Commissioner James Tsagaris leaving office at the end of the year, Trumbull County government needs someone who has a deep understanding of government finance. That someone is Melfi.
There is another candidate in the race whose credentials show him to be well-qualified to fill Tsagaris' seat, Robert A. Marchese, executive director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Youngstown/Mahoning Valley and a member of Warren City Council for the past 14 years. Marchese is currently president of council. In that role, he works closely with the administration of Mayor Michael O'Brien.
Purchasing scandal
In his interview with Vindicator editors and writers, Marchese lashed out at the commissioners who were in office between 1999 and 2002 when the so-called purchasing scandal occurred. He said the officeholders were asleep at the wheel.
The scandal, which triggered several convictions, including that of former county maintenance director Tony Delmont, resulted in county government being bilked $400,000 for cleaning supplies.
"In this day and age of accountability, there should have been flags in the system," Marchese said.
Of the three remaining candidates for the Democratic nomination, Niles Councilman Frank Fuda deserves special mention, if for no other reason than the fact that he began running for the office 18 months ago. Such dedication would have given Fuda a distinct advantage in a race in which the qualifications of the candidates were equal.
But that is not the case in this contest. His 16 years as a member of council pale in comparison to Melfi's hands-on experience in dealing with government in crisis and Marchese's leadership role in Warren council.
There was one other candidate who sought The Vindicator's endorsement. Mauro Cantalamessa, making his first bid for public office, has the most signs of any candidate on the streets and some impressive backers. We expected him to be well-prepared and to show that he'd studied county government and was armed with innovative ideas.
But Cantalamessa, manager of the family-owned Enzo's Restaurant and Banquet Facility in Warren, fell short in making a case for the value of youthful enthusiasm over administrative insight.
The winner of the May 2 primary will face Republican Nikki Frenchko in the November general election. But it is rare for a Republican to succeed in the predominantly Democratic county.