8 apply for vacant seat on Niles school board

By Jordan Cohen

The school board will choose the replacement during a special meeting Thursday.

NILES — Eight people have applied for the board of education seat vacated last month by the surprise resignation of Robert Marino. The deadline for applications was 2 p.m. Friday.

Marino resigned Dec. 18 citing health and family reasons. Coincidentally, his resignation was submitted during the same meeting that the board selected Traci Buttar, an accountant, from a field of 14 applicants for the seat left vacant when Dori Gatta MacMillan resigned.

Six of the eight candidates for Marino’s seat were among the group from which Buttar was selected. School Superintendent Rocco Adduci had encouraged previous applicants to reapply.

All candidates are required to be Niles residents and registered voters. One applicant has a Girard mailing address, but a school official said the residence is in the Niles school district.

According to state law, the board must fill the vacancy within 30 days of the resignation. If not, the selection would be made by Trumbull County Probate Judge Thomas Swift.

The board has scheduled a special meeting Thursday, 10 days ahead of the deadline, when it will vote on the replacement.

The applicants are (an * indicates they had applied for the MacMillan opening):

ULawrence Batovsky, Sunny Estates Drive, Niles, registered nurse at Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital.

UVeronica Caruso, Kearney Street, Niles, retired day-care center operator.

UNancy Iezzi-Dom*, Roosevelt Avenue, Niles, retired Niles teacher.

UEric Lanham*, Spruce Court, Niles, marketing manager for 717 Credit Union.

UEdrea Mientkiewicz*, South Street, Niles, caseworker with Trumbull County Job and Family Services.

UAnthony Perrone*, North Carnegie Avenue, Niles, vocational skills specialist, Life Skills Center of Trumbull County.

UStephanie Rider, Crestmont Drive, Girard, curriculum and instruction supervisor, Trumbull County Educational Services Center.

UJacqueline Watkins*, Helen Avenue, Niles, retired teacher.