New Trumbull engineer lays off 5

By Ed Runyan

Three relatives of the former engineer are out of a job.

WARREN — David DeChristofaro, Trumbull County’s new engineer, is spending his first three days on the job by traveling to Washington, D.C., to attend U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan’s swearing-in today and to talk to federal officials about funding for county roads and bridges.

Meanwhile, at the engineer’s office on North River Road, DeChristofaro’s new administrative staff has notified five employees under former Engineer John Latell they no longer have jobs.

Two of them are Latell’s relatives — his daughter-in-law, Amanda Latell, who served as secretary to former deputy engineer Randy Smith; and his son-in-law, Matthew P. Dohy, who served as a surveyor.

Dohy was hired in June 2005 as an engineering technician making $17.04 per hour, and Amanda Latell was hired in July 2005 at $14.71 per hour. Both were working in those same jobs as of last week, John Latell said by phone Monday.

Another relative, Atty. Kurt Latell of Girard, the former engineer’s nephew, who served as legal counsel to the engineer’s office, ended his position with the engineer’s office Friday, John Latell said. New legal counsel will be Atty. Enzo Cantalamessa of Warren.

A press release by David Rouan, DeChristofaro’s new director of administration and government affairs, says the elimination of five clerical and engineering technician jobs was made because the office was “overstaffed with clerical workers and office staff.”

It added, “In an effort to ensure that residents of Trumbull County receive excellent snow and ice control services from the engineer’s office during these winter months, the decision was made to eliminate office staff rather than the employees that provide these crucial road maintenance services.”

Rouan, Weathersfield’s fiscal officer, who assumed his new duties with the engineer’s office Monday, will serve Weathersfield Township until sometime in February, he said.

Nicole Klingeman, a fiscal assistant who does not work under a union contract, was notified Monday she was out of work. Her termination was immediate, Rouan said.

He would not identify any of the four union members who were notified of their firings effective Jan. 19, but John Latell confirmed that two of them were his daughter-in-law and son-in-law.

He said the office ended the year “in the black” and said he doesn’t know any reason there needed to be reductions in staffing.

Rouan said there are no plans to add any employees to the department. The only hirings planned are to replace vacancies among the engineering staff.

As far as beginning his term in Washington, DeChristofaro gave his new employees a notice Monday, saying he feels it is important to establish good working relationships with Ryan, of Niles, D-17th; state Sen. Capri Cafaro of Liberty, D-32nd, Senate minority leader; other legislators; and to “aggressively pursue” federal and state funds for highways and bridges.

“I have committed my first three days in office to further these two priorities,” the notice says.

He will meet, along with Ryan, with representatives from the Federal Highway Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington this week before spending his first day at the engineer’s office Thursday.

Another from Latell’s administration who is gone is Randy Smith, former deputy engineer, who lost to DeChristofaro in the Democratic primary for the engineer’s position. DeChristofaro had no Republican opponent. Smith’s last day on the payroll was Friday, Rouan said.

Replacing Smith is John Picuri of Cortland, a 10-year employee of the engineer’s office who has served most recently as project and bridge engineer.

runyan@vindy.com