Oakhill trial Day 2

YOUNGSTOWN —  Former Mahoning County Treasurer John Reardon said he was deeply concerned about unknown costs of the county’s acquisition of Oakhill Renaissance Place last year and he expressed those concerns, “to the county commissioners and anybody else who would listen.”

Reardon, who left in February to become State Superintendent of Financial Institutions, testified this morning on the second day of the trial of a taxpayer’s lawsuit that seeks to rescind the county’s purchase of Oakhill.

“I was convinced at the time that the requisite due diligence had not been done,” Reardon said in the trial before visiting Judge Richard M. Markus of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Reardon said he had questions about where the money would come from to buy, operate and maintain Oakhill, which is the former Forum Health Southside Medical Center.

The taxpayer's lawsuit was filed by Ohio Valley Mall Co., a division of the Cafaro Co., which is the former landlord for the county’s Dept. of Job and Family Services at Garland Plaza. JFS left Garland Plaza Friday and opened Monday at Oakhill.

For the complete story, see Wednesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com.