McKelvey puts self in no-lose situation

In his application for the Mahoning County administrator position, ex-Youngstown Mayor George McKelvey anticipated that some would view the move as a "political ploy."
While McKelvey denies it, applying for the administrator position is a political ploy.
It puts McKelvey, who is challenging Commissioner David Ludt in the May Democratic primary, in a no-lose situation.
There is no way the commissioners are going to hire him.
The next administrator will most likely be ex-county Auditor George Tablack, who currently works as the director of the county's Office of Budget & amp; Management.
In his application, Tablack, county auditor for more than 18 years, included letters from several public officials urging commissioners to hire him as administrator.
Ludt said he is leaning toward hiring Tablack, and Commissioner Anthony Traficanti is also expected to back him.
Tablack has the most administrative and financial experience with the county of the 14 applicants for the job.
On his application, McKelvey cites his eight years as Youngstown mayor and his eight years as county treasurer and touts himself a "senior executive," and a "chief executive officer."
When the commissioners don't hire McKelvey, he can say he was passed over for the job because he is challenging Ludt.
Also, McKelvey could say the decision to not hire him is costing the financially-strapped county money. McKelvey is offering to do the job for free if elected commissioner for at least two years, and for $1 a month until the May 2 primary, if needed.
Gary Kubic, the last person to hold the administrator's job, earned $85,000 annually in salary alone before leaving in December 2003.
Since an assistant county administrator left in February 2005, Traficanti has assumed the administrator's responsibility at no pay. But Traficanti said wearing two hats is causing some conflicts and the county needs someone to watch its finances on a full-time basis.
As for McKelvey holding both jobs, Traficanti dismissed it saying it was a "political ploy" on the part of the commissioner candidate.
McKelvey knew someone would take the bait, but said he was surprised it was Traficanti because the commissioner is doing both jobs.
But who knows better that a commissioner can't also serve effectively over a long period of time as administrator better than Traficanti?
Why McKelvey is even in this race is a good question. McKelvey circulated nominating petitions for five different races in the days before the Feb. 16 filing deadline in a comical display.
McKelvey said six weeks of vacation from public life was enough for him.
McKelvey, a Democrat, publicly and strongly supported the re-election effort of Republican President Bush in 2004 and appeared at many rallies and events with the president.
McKelvey's reasoning for the endorsement was Bush would help the Mahoning Valley more than John Kerry, the failed Democratic nominee.
McKelvey also said last year that he would reach out to his federal contacts to get money to make up the $12 million Youngstown had to borrow to fund the city-owned Chevrolet Centre.
More than a year later, the Valley's residents are eagerly waiting for any federal help for the area.
In early 2005, McKelvey alluded to being offered a federal position. But after leaving the mayor's office on Dec. 31, McKelvey was unemployed.
Ludt intends to use McKelvey's connection to Bush and Republicans against the former mayor during the Democratic primary campaign. The Republicans didn't field a commissioner candidate.
There is some speculation that the Cafaros, one of the area's wealthiest and most well-known families, asked McKelvey to run. The main reason supposedly is to pressure Ludt to keep the Department of Job and Family Services and its Child Support Enforcement Division at the Cafaro-owned McGuffey Plaza.
The county pays $37,000 a month to rent space there, and has leased the property since 1988. The county has a proposal to move into space at the former Forum Health Southside Medical Center rent-free.
But J.J. Cafaro, the company's executive vice president and a close friend of McKelvey, says there is nothing to that speculation. Cafaro was "shocked" the former mayor filed to run for commissioner, but said McKelvey would do an excellent job. Cafaro also said he hardly knows Ludt.
As for bankrolling McKelvey's commissioner campaign, Cafaro said he would contribute if asked. Cafaro gave $61,000 to McKelvey's failed 1994 Ohio treasurer campaign. That was, by far, the most money given to that campaign.