Bush weighs run for mayor

By David Skolnick

The ex-police chief says he has ‘no hard feelings toward the mayor.’

YOUNGS-TOWN — One of the first things Jay Williams did after becoming Youngstown mayor was decide to not keep Robert E. Bush Jr. as the city’s police chief even though Bush wanted to stay in the mayor’s Cabinet.

Now Bush is thinking of challenging Williams in the Democratic mayoral primary May 5, and has taken out nominating petitions for the post. The deadline to file nominating petitions for elected positions in the primary is Feb. 19.

Bush, who finished second to Robert F. Hagan in the 2005 Democratic mayoral primary, said he wouldn’t run for the job in the primary out of spite (Williams, who ran as an independent, beat Hagan and four others in that year’s general election for mayor).

“I have no hard feelings toward the mayor,” Bush said.

Hired as a Mahoning County assistant prosecutor less than a week after Williams chose to not keep him on the city payroll, Bush said he hasn’t made a “firm decision” about running again for mayor.

Bush requested and received nominating petitions from the county board of elections to run for mayor. Petitions with at least 50 valid signatures are needed to get on the primary ballot.

“As someone who’s been in the political process for 30 years, you think about” running for mayor, Bush said. “It’s just a thought. There’s nothing concrete. You may never hear from me again on this issue.”

Bush served about four years as the city law director and then about four years as police chief under ex-Mayor George M. McKelvey.

Since taking the job with the county prosecutor, Bush was a finalist for vacant Mahoning common pleas and probate court judicial seats. But Gov. Ted Strickland selected others to fill the empty positions.

Williams will run this year as a Democrat in his re-election bid.

“I know Mr. Bush, and I’m confident [I’ll] make [my] case” for re-election, Williams said.

Frank Bellamy, disqualified as a 1st Ward city council independent candidate in 2007, says he’ll “definitely” challenge Williams for the Democratic mayoral nomination. Bellamy said he’s already got more than the 50 signatures needed to get on the May primary ballot and plans to turn in his nominating petitions to the county board of elections shortly.

Bellamy, a political consultant, was among seven candidates for Youngstown City Council in 2007 to be disqualified because they voted in the Democratic primary after filing as independents.

A 2007 Ohio Secretary of State opinion, based on a federal court decision, states candidates who vote in a party primary election after filing nominating petitions as independents can no longer be considered independents and are thus disqualified.

Also up for re-election in Youngstown this year is longtime council President Charles P. Sammarone, a Democrat who already filed nominating petitions with the elections board.

“When I make up my mind, I go ahead and do it,” he said.

If re-elected, Williams and Sammarone cannot run in 2013 for their respective positions because of the city’s term-limits law.

In Struthers, Henry D. Franceschelli Sr. has filed to run for council president in the Democratic primary. Council President Anthony Protopapa, a Democrat, said he plans to seek re-election.

Also, Councilman-at large Ronald M. Mathews, a Democrat, and Councilman Robert J. Stouffer, D-2nd, have filed to run for re-election.

skolnick@vindy.com