Committee assignments spark debate in Struthers council

Council’s president said he called council members about assignments and received little dissent.

By WILLIAM K. ALCORN

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

STRUTHERS — A special council meeting Wednesday, called by Council President Anthony R. Protopapa Jr. to announce committee appointments, quickly turned from routine to an hour-long hassle.

Protopapa made his appointments, but they may not stand, as four new members of council apparently are not happy with the assignments.

One of the four, Councilman at large Michael S. Patrick, was able to get a motion passed, which he mistakenly voted against, by a 4-3 vote, that enables him to propose his own committee assignments.

The other new members are Councilmen Robert J. Stouffer, 2nd Ward; Robert D. Burnside, 3rd Ward; and Robert S. Carcelli III, 4th Ward.

It was not clear Wednesday if the assignments can be changed after Protopapa had made them.

Protopapa said he called each council member to tell them of his committee assignments and received very little dissent. Later in the meeting, he accused the dissenters of bringing politics into the process “big time.”

The hassle began when council began to vote on a motion to accept Protopapa’s committee assignments. Councilman at large Daniel R. Yemma interrupted the vote, saying as a point of order that council’s rules do not allow a vote once the assignments have been made. Law Director Carol Clemente Wagner agreed.

Council’s rule says the president of council shall appoint committees, unless otherwise ordered by council. However, Wagner said, the time for Patrick to have made his motion was before the assignments were made.

Patrick said he did not want to be appointed to the public utilities committee because he believes his job with Ohio Edison could result in a possible conflict of interest.

Stouffer, who was named chairman of the finance and legislation committee, said he was happy with his appointments.

Yemma, who said he did not fight for the chairmanship of the finance committee in an attempt to work together, also said he does not understand the issue.

“This should have been a five-minute meeting. It doesn’t bode well for the future,” he said.

Committee chairmen are: finance and legislation, Stouffer; general improvements, Yemma; police and fire, Councilman at large Ronald M. Mathews; public utilities, Carcelli; parks and recreation, Councilwoman Sherri L. Hartzell, 1st Ward; community development, Patrick; and annexation, zoning and industrial business, Burnside.

alcorn@vindy.com