Money is not an issue in Poland mayoral race

An elections board gave
the incorrect filing deadline to candidates.

By DAVID SKOLNICK

VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER

It’s a part-time job that pays $8,000 a year.

But the three mayoral candidates running for Poland village combined have already spent $18,774 on the race.

“Poland is a special place, and I’m not doing it for the $8,000,” said John H. Yerian III, the Republican nominee for mayor. “When I signed up for this I didn’t know you got paid for it.”

Yerian spent $8,365, more on the campaign than the job’s annual salary, according to pre-general campaign reports that include financial activity through Oct. 17.

Yerian’s biggest expense was $4,164 to Techni-Graphics of Boardman for designing and printing campaign materials.

“You can’t put a price on having a community like this,” Yerian said.

Tim Sicafuse, one of the two independent candidates running for Poland mayor, said he is spending more money than he anticipated. But to keep pace with Yerian, Sicafuse said, he has little choice.

He’s put $3,000 of his own money into the campaign, with his parents contributing another $3,000.

“I’m not running for the salary,” Sicafuse added. “I don’t care about the money. When you have a candidate with a presence, you have to keep up with him.”

Sicafuse spent $6,554 as of Oct. 17. He said he originally planned to spend about $5,000 on the race.

Among Sicafuse’s expenses are:

U$1,033 for mini-footballs.

U$992 for yard signs.

U$498 for emery boards.

U$341 for magnets.

Candidate Ralph J. Mentzer said receiving the $8,000 a year to be mayor is not why he’s running for the job. Mentzer said he wants to do what he can to maintain the quality of life in the village.

While Mentzer has spent less than Yerian and Sicafuse, he said the $3,855 he’s spent on this race is a lot of money. Mentzer’s campaign is entirely self-funded.

His big-ticket item is an 11-by-12-foot billboard on U.S. Route 224 that cost him $950.

Mentzer also spent $519 for campaign cards and $841 for postage.

While Thursday was the pre-general election filing deadline for those running Nov. 6, many candidates running in Mahoning County didn’t submit their campaign reports on time.

That’s because the county board of elections sent letters to every candidate and every issue committee that incorrectly listed next Monday as the filing deadline. A clerk said it was simply a mistake.

The board will not consider reports filed by Monday to be late because of the error.

But the board also will be getting a call this morningfrom the Ohio Secretary of State’s office to ask why it listed the incorrect date on the letter to candidates and issue committees.

The failure of a candidate or committee to meet the filing deadline is routinely turned over to the Ohio Elections Commission, which can order a fine be paid. That isn’t typically the case with a first-time offender, however.

The secretary of state’s office couldn’t say Thursday what happens when a county elections board is responsible for the delay.

skolnick@vindy.com