43
Mamula-Stocker camps worry one candidate
STRUTHERS — There are Mamula-Stocker camps on council, a situation that creates a lot of tension during meetings that has to be controlled, said President of Council Anthony R. Protopapa, who is running for re-election in the May 5 primary election.
The job of the president of council is to chair council’s caucus and regular meetings and to break tie votes when they occur. The salary is $8,400 a year.
The camps Protopapa referred to during an endorsement interview are council and audience members generally believed to be aligned with former Mayor Daniel Mamula or Mayor Terry Stocker, who defeated Mamula in his bid for re-election in 2007.
Protopapa’s opponent for the president of council seat is Henry D. Franceschelli Sr., known as Hank.
When asked whether he is part of the Stocker or Mamula faction, he said: “I don’t want to get into that. I’m a private person. I think Terry does a good job, and I think Dan did a good job.”
Protopapa, on the other hand, is an unabashed Mamula admirer.
“I always supported Dan [Mamula]. I think he’s the best mayor the city has ever had. Terry [Stocker] is trying, but he has a lot of catching up to do,” he said.
During his interview, Protopapa addressed an issue that he said is “on the street,” but has not been raised by anyone on whose door he has knocked while campaigning.
Protopapa said he does not apologize for accepting the health-benefits package offered by the city, and went from single coverage as a councilman to family coverage when his wife was in danger of losing her job.
Auditor Tina Morell said the family-coverage package for elected officials costs the city about $12,741 a year, minus the 6 percent employee contribution of about $764 a year, for a net cost of about $11,977.
Franceschelli did not criticize Protopapa for using the city health-care-benefits package but said he would not do so because he has coverage through his job at Aqua Ohio.
However, Franceschelli did criticize his opponent for failing to attend all of council’s committee meetings and indirectly for allowing some council members to “go on and on,” though he refused to say to whom he referred.
Protopapa said he attends all council caucus and regular meetings. But, he said he does not attend most committee meetings, which are scheduled on Wednesday evenings alternating with regular council meetings, because he generally has work scheduled on those evenings, and he is not a member of any of the committees. However, he said he keeps abreast of what happened by communicating with council members the day after the meetings.
Other competitive council races in Struthers are:
Council at-Large, three to elect: Incumbents Ronald Mathews, Michael S. Patrick and Daniel R. Yemma; and challenger, Edward L. Craft.
First Ward: Incumbent Sherri L. Hartzell, and challenger, Tony Fire.
Third Ward: Incumbent Robert D. Burnside; and challenger, Casey D. Morgan.
alcorn@vindy.com