Judge Belinky plans to question commissioners

YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County commissioners and the county administrator are scheduled to give sworn statements Aug. 29 in the lawsuit Probate Court Judge Mark A. Belinky filed against the commissioners in a dispute over his court’s funding.

Judge Belinky announced in a court filing today that he intends to question Commissioners David N. Ludt, John A. McNally IV and Anthony T. Traficanti and County Administrator George J. Tablack.

The questioning will occur in the Boardman office of the judge’s lawyer, John B. Juhasz, and the sessions may be videotaped, the court filing says. Ninety minutes is allotted for the questioning of each official.

The depositions are being taken in a mandamus lawsuit Judge Belinky filed in the 7th District Court of Appeals after the county commissioners provided the judge with a 2009 general fund budget of only $694,833, rather than the $915,715 the judge said he needed to run his court properly.

Because all four judges of the 7th District removed themselves from the case, the matter has been transferred to the 5th District Court of Appeals in Canton, where oral arguments will be at 9 a.m. Sept. 25.