Commissioner demands apology to SCOPE

WARREN — Part way through a meeting involving Trumbull County commissioners, officials for the SCOPE senior services agency and the District 11 Area Agency on Aging, Commissioner Paul Heltzel asked fellow attorney Peter Grinstein to clarify a legal issue.

Regarding accusations that SCOPE failed to get the proper signatures on paperwork from senior citizens who received services from the agency with money from the county senior citizens levy, Heltzel asked Grinstein whether the accusations suggested illegal activity.

Grinstein, of Youngstown, who represents District 11, said it did.

“It is not illegal, and for you to say it is is out of order,” Heltzel said.

Heltzel then asked Grinstein who sets the policies that govern the use of the levy money approved by voters in 2005.

Grinstein agreed that the commissioners do.

“Do the commissioners establish law?” Heltzel asked.

Helzel answered for him: “No.”

And he added, “You owe an apology to this group. Do not accuse these people of doing something illegal,” he said, pointing to the SCOPE representatives in the room.

Moments later, Don Medd, District 11 director, clarified the issue.

In talking about the seniors levy money and its use, he said: “It’s improper. It’s not illegal.”

For the full story, see Wednesday's Vindicator or Vindy.com