For president of council in Struthers: Protopapa

For president of council in Struthers: Protopapa

We suppose there are some candidates who are ready to take control of a city council meeting, to juggle the demands of seven council members, other officials and department heads and members of the audience without having ever served as a council member.

If a candidate were a serious student of Roberts Rules of Order and had other experience in managing public meetings, it might be possible for him to step into the presidency of a city council cold.

But in conducting dozens of candidate interviews involving candidates from cities large and small over the years, we haven’t met such a candidate.

There is no training for an aspiring president of council like having served as a member of council.

Maintaining order, crossing all the t’s and dotting all the i’s is not something that comes easily or naturally. The council president is a referee, and it’s tough being a referee if you’ve never played the game.

And so, in the race for president of Struthers City Council, the incumbent, Anthony R. Protopapa, is the clear choice in the May 5 Democratic primary over challenger Henry D. Franceschelli Sr.

Experience counts

Politics in Struthers remains a rough and tumble game, and even council meetings can become contentious. Protopapa’s experience of four years serving as the 1st Ward councilman and four years as president of council serves him well.

Protopapa, 49, owns a commercial cleaning business and says his experience in business and on council equips him to serve the city in tough economic times.

Franceschelli, 55, is an employee of Aqua Ohio and says his experience as president of the Utility Workers Union has given him an insight into how he could best serve the city.

Franceschelli is certainly sincere. Asked if he had any training or experience in parliamentary procedure, he answered, “no.” Asked if he wouldn’t find it daunting to take command of a city council meeting, he quickly answered, “no.”

Some might find such self assurance inspiring. Others would see it as unrealistic, even arrogant. There is nothing in Franceschelli’s demeanor to imply arrogance,. Perhaps he’s simply underestimating what it takes to run a business meeting, especially when egos begin to take over, or tempers flare.

Or, perhaps we’re overestimating what it takes to perform as a council president. But we don’t think so.

We think the residents of Struthers will be better served by Protopapa remaining as council president. And we think that if Franceschelli has a deep desire to serve, he should consider running for a seat on council, either as a ward or at-large representative. Which, by the way, is the same advice we gave Protopapa more than a decade ago when he ran unsuccessfully for president of council before winning his 1st Ward seat.