Gerberry to replace Carano

Mahoning County Democrats will select the next recorder.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County Recorder Ronald Gerberry is returning to the Ohio House to fill the unexpired term of state Rep. Kenneth A. Carano, who is leaving Monday to work for Gov. Ted Strickland.
Gerberry, of Austintown, a former 19-year state House member, was unanimously selected for the seat Wednesday by the Ohio House Democratic Caucus, beating out three other candidates -- Joe Leonard, a former Milton Township trustee; Poland Township Trustee Robert Lidle Jr.; and Tom Kelley of Boardman, a former business owner.
Gerberry had to leave the Ohio House at the end of 2000 because of the state's term-limit law. He successfully ran for county recorder that year and was re-elected to that post in 2004.
"Being in county government will make me a better legislator," Gerberry said. "It gave me a different perspective I didn't have the first time I was in the Legislature."
Appointment
Carano's term expires Dec. 31, 2008. Unable to run next year for his House seat because of the term-limit law, Carano, of Austintown, D-59th, pursued an appointment from Strickland. A month ago, Strickland, a Democrat formerly of Lisbon, appointed Carano as his regional director for the Mahoning Valley. Carano starts that job Monday.
A House resolution officially installing Gerberry as the 59th Ohio House representative will be voted on as soon as Tuesday.
The district includes Berlin, Boardman, Canfield, Craig Beach, Ellsworth, Jackson, Milton, Poland and most of Austintown.
With Gerberry's resignation, expected Monday, the county Democratic Party's precinct committee members will select his replacement as recorder some time next month.
There are already announced candidates for the post: Atty. Mark Belinky of Boardman, the county party's secretary who unsuccessfully ran for recorder against Gerberry in 2000; Noralynn Palermo of Youngstown, who's worked in the county recorder's office for the past 32 years, about half of that time as the administrative assistant; and Richard Slaina of Poland, a 23-year county engineer's office employee.
Gerberry said he doesn't plan to endorse a candidate but made a point of saying Palermo is an "extremely qualified candidate and probably the most qualified person to seek the job. She knows more about this job than a lot of other recorders" in Ohio.
skolnick@vindy.com