TRUMBULL COUNTY Commissioner Tsagaris says he won't run again

The commissioner believes other candidates for the job will surface now.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Trumbull County Commissioner James Tsagaris has held one of the most public jobs possible for seven years, and scrutiny of his actions appears to have taken a toll -- especially on his family.
The 71-year-old Warren native announced Wednesday he'll finish 2006 on the job but won't seek re-election.
"You can't go on forever," Tsagaris said, explaining the move will allow him to spend more time with his wife, Patty, and other family members and friends. Patty Tsagaris retired last year as a Warren City Schools teacher, he said.
Tsagaris said his son Jimmy, 30, strongly urged him to retire a couple of months ago.
Longtime friend Gus Michelakis said news coverage of controversies involving Tsagaris over the years have taken their toll, especially on Patty Tsagaris.
"If you came home and saw all of these things in the paper and saw your wife upset, what would you do?" Michelakis said.
Remained clean
He added that throughout the controversy surrounding the county purchasing investigation and rumors of Tsagaris' involvement, his friend remained honest and clean.
"I know that this guy never took a dime for his own benefit," Michelakis said. "He got a bad rap for six years."
Tsagaris faced a great deal of scrutiny when he last ran for county commissioner in fall 2002 against Don Manning, a Cortland Republican. He won the election by 56 percent but was hounded by questions about the purchasing scandal uncovered the previous summer.
In May 2004, former maintenance director Tony Delmont contended in an affidavit that he gave $50,000 to elected officials, as well as sporting events tickets, electronics equipment and other gifts. He said his actions were at the specific direction of the commissioners and/or the sheriff. None of those officials were ever charged.
Delmont faces sentencing Friday for his role in the scandal. Two vendors have pleaded guilty and await sentencing, while three others await trials.
The only candidate who has declared interest in running for Tsagaris' seat is Frank Fuda of Niles, 1st Ward councilman. But Tsagaris said he believes additional candidates will surface now that he is not running.
He said he wasn't endorsing anyone for the job, but added, "I'd like to see some young blood."
Accomplishments
Among his proudest accomplishments as a commissioner, he said, is the Agricultural Service Center in Cortland. The center includes a 17-acre campus for wetlands and gardens, as well as an office building for five agriculture related agencies such as the Ohio State University Extension Service and Trumbull County Soil and Water Conservation District.
He cited ongoing projects such as the relocation of the county Department of Job and Family Services and One-Stop job training facility and the proposed Mahoning Valley Motor Speedway near the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport as other major projects.
He said he hopes the speedway can become a reality during his last year in office. Engineers are conducting a $370,000 study to determine whether building the $300 million facility is feasible.
Tsagaris friend Tom Raphtis said he believes one of Tsagaris' greatest strengths is the amount of time he spends helping people. "And he's never bragged about it," he said.
"He did the job the job every day, seven days a week. It was always on his mind. He's done a lot of work with his own money," he said.
Raphtis added that Tsagaris can walk into businesses in the farthest reaches of the county, "and people will know him by name," he said. "I think he tried to help every aspect of the county."
runyan@vindy.com