Three seek 1st Ward council seat in Niles

NILES—Three residents have applied for the 1st Ward council seat vacated by the resignation last month of Lee Smith, including former 1st Ward representative David Wilkerson.

Wilkerson, 45, Morris Place, had been appointed to the position by the Democratic precinct committee in January 2007 to fill the vacancy after Frank Fuda was elected Trumbull County Commissioner. However, Wilkerson’s attempt to run for a full two-year term in the May 2007 primary ended when the Trumbull County Board of Elections determined that he had failed to complete circulation statements on his candidacy forms.

Wilkerson, a construction company foreman, later tried to run as an independent write-in candidate but was disqualified by the board, a decision upheld by the 11th District Court of Appeals.

Smith subsequently won the council seat over two other write-in candidates, but resigned after only four months in office citing “very personal and private circumstances.”

The other two candidates are Brenda Claypool, Lawnview Avenue and Thomas Connelly, Gypsy Lane.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.