Meek hired as elections deputy director

The new deputy director is treasurer of the county’s Democratic Party.

By D.A. WILKINSON

VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU

LISBON — The Columbiana County Board of Elections has named a new deputy director who may not take the director’s job during this year’s all-important presidential election.

The board voted unanimously Tuesday to hire Kimberly A. Meek of Wellsville to replace deputy director Thomas Edgell, who is a Democrat.

Meek is treasurer of the county’s Democratic Party. She also has worked as a deputy clerk in the clerk’s office in the village of Wellsville since 2001.

Edgell, a decorated former East Liverpool police officer who runs a private security company, plans to resign rather than move up to the director’s post.

The elections board previously had voted to rotate the director’s post every two years. The director and deputy director routinely work closely together.

Edgell told the board he was neither experienced nor qualified to take the post.

He was named deputy director in January 2007.

But Larry Bowersock, the Democratic Party chairman of the elections board, said he hoped to see Lois Gall remain as director through the upcoming March 2 primary election.

“She does a wonderful job,” Bowersock said Tuesday. “She’s great to work with.”

The decision will be up to the new board that will reorganize in early March, he said.

David Johnson, chairman of the county Republican Party, is expected to replace elections board member Al Fricano at that meeting.

The board agreed to hire Meek effective Feb. 15. She’ll be paid $15 an hour during a three-month probationary period.

After that, she will serve another 90-day period at which she will be paid $22 an hour.

That means that Meek could possibly take over as director about eight weeks before the November general election.

Bowersock said he would raise the issue when the board reorganizes and discuss rescinding the motion that requires the change in leadership.

wilkinson@vindy.com