Deadline extended for job applicants

Commissioners expect to hear more about a 911 merger at their next meeting.
By DEBORA SHAULIS
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County commissioners have extended the application deadline for the county administrator's job by one week, as requested by Commissioner John McNally IV.
The original deadline was to be today; now it's next Friday.
Since the posting was issued Feb. 21, the job has been advertised in local newspapers, on the county's Web site and through the County Commissioners Association of Ohio. It was advertised for the first time Sunday and again Wednesday in The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer. McNally wanted to extend the deadline and continue to advertise the job "in fairness to potential applicants who read The Plain Dealer," he said.
Commissioners Anthony Traficanti and David Ludt agreed, saying they had already agreed that he was in charge of the job posting.
"Put it wherever you want -- Florida, California, Italy," Traficanti said as the commissioners' regular weekly meeting concluded.
Last November, McNally said a formal hiring process was circumvented when commissioners voted 2-1 to hire former county auditor George Tablack as the county's budget director.
Post vacant since 2003
Mahoning County hasn't had an administrator since December 2003, when Gary Kubic left to become administrator of Beaufort County, S.C. Joseph Caruso was appointed assistant county administrator and served until February 2005, when Traficanti said he would assume the administrator's duties to save money. Traficanti remains acting administrator, as state law permits, but without extra pay.
The administrator directs day-to-day activities of departments that are under the commissioners' control, administers the county budget, oversees compliance with commissioners' policies and supervises office employees.
Possible 911 merger
Commissioners will meet again Tuesday and anticipate a report from Atty. David Comstock Jr., spokesman of a committee that has been investigating a possible merger of 911 communications operations in Youngstown, Mahoning County and Trumbull County.
The committee needs to solicit technical advice on what a merger involves, said Walter M. Duzzny, director of Mahoning County's emergency management and communications.
Youngstown answers emergency calls for the city and Mill Creek MetroParks police. Mahoning County's 911 center answers for 13 police departments, while Trumbull County's operation covers 23 fire departments, 16 police departments, 15 emergency medical service agencies and more. It's believed a merger will improve communications among agencies and save money by eliminating duplication of services, facilities and equipment.
Meanwhile, officials from three Mahoning County communities that currently handle their own 911 communications -- Boardman and Austintown townships and Canfield city -- have been discussing regionalization issues and may want to listen in on 911 merger talks, Duzzny said.
shaulis@vindy.com