Struthers salary measure results in lawsuit

STRUTHERS — City council gave a second reading to an ordinance cutting the salaries of mayor-elect Terry Stocker and Auditor Tina Morell, who Wednesday filed a lawsuit to stop the legislation.

The third and final reading on the legislation would reduce Stocker’s and Morell’s pay by 20 percent each when they take office Jan. 1, 2008. An emergency clause was added to the measure and it is expected to be on the agenda of council’s Nov. 28 meeting,

Stocker is a first-term mayor and Morell was elected to a second term as auditor.

Council members named as defendants in the lawsuit are: Sherri Hartzell, 1st Ward; Mark Sandine, 2nd Ward; Paul Garchar Jr., 4th Ward; Daniel Yemma, 3rd Ward; and Jerry Shields, at-large.

Mayor Daniel Mamula, whom Stocker defeated in the May 8 Democratic primary election, and the City of Struthers, are also named defendants.

Not a defendant is Councilman at-large Ronald M. Mathews , who, along with Stocker, voted against the measure, which passed 5-2.

The suit Stocker and Morell filed in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court alleges a conspiracy by their political opponents to punish them for winning the election is at the root of the proposed salary reductions.

For more, see Thursday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com