Panel recommends candidates

WARREN -- A nine-member citizens committee helping in selection of the next Trumbull County administrator has recommended several candidates to the county commissioners -- but so far the recommendations are private.
James Keating, county personnel director, said the panel turned over a list of recommended candidates at the end of its final meeting on Tuesday. Keating said he will turn this list over to the county commissioners.
After initially saying Tuesday's meeting would be open to the public, Keating later asked a Vindicator reporter to leave. He didn't cite a specific reason under the states open meetings law for the closing.
After the meeting, Keating refused to release the list, saying it needed to be given to the commissioners first.
Keating received 54 applications from people interested in the administrator position, which became vacant July 26, 2006, when Tony Carson Jr. resigned.
Commissioners had asked the committee to narrow the list but did not ask for a specific number of finalists.
Members of the citizens committee are John Mahan, a retired businessman; Richard Musick, an insurance agent; Larry Wright, a retired pharmaceutical salesman; Warren attorney Patrick Wilson; real estate agent Chuck Joseph; retired Delphi Packard employee John Talstein; Reid Dulberger, executive vice president of the Regional Chamber; Toni Landolfi, retired marketing official with Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Retirement Services; and Tom ', director of the Warren-Trumbull County Urban League.