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Interim sanitary engineer hopes it becomes permanent
The application deadline for the permanent position is next Friday.
YOUNGSTOWN — J. Robert Lyden, who was appointed interim Mahoning County sanitary engineer, said he “most certainly” intends to apply for the permanent appointment as county sanitary engineer.
On Thursday, the county commissioners appointed Lyden, 68, of Canfield, to the interim post, effective Nov. 30, to replace Joseph V. Warino, who will retire Nov. 27.
Warino, who has been sanitary engineer since 1997, will become Canfield city manager.
Lyden, a Democrat who ran unsuccessfully against county Engineer Richard A. Marsico in 1996 and 2000, has been a field engineer with the sanitary engineer’s office since 2006. Lyden, who was in private civil-engineering practice for about 35 years before joining the county, is an Ohio-licensed professional engineer and surveyor.
“He’s certainly qualified. He’s had some experience with the city of Youngstown, both in their public-works department and their water department,” Warino said of Lyden, adding that he’d be a good candidate for the permanent appointment.
Lyden, who earns about $72,000 a year, said he did not know what he will be paid as interim sanitary engineer. Warino, 56, earns about $85,000 a year.
The sanitary engineer’s office has 99 employees and an annual budget of $23 million.
Lyden told the commissioners he wants the sanitary engineer’s office, which uses about $1.5 million worth of electricity annually, to shop for lower electric rates. He also noted that parts of its systems are 50 to 70 years old or older and will have significant maintenance needs.
The application deadline for the permanent sanitary-engineer position is Nov. 27, and the commissioners will make the permanent appointment.
The commissioners appointed Lyden by a 2-1 vote, with Commissioners Anthony T. Traficanti and David N. Ludt in favor and Commissioner John A. McNally IV dissenting.
McNally said he dissented because he wants the county to consider merging the administration of the county engineer’s and sanitary engineer’s departments to achieve potential cost savings.
“They’re totally different funding sources, and to try to merge the two of them would be an accounting nightmare, and I don’t think that would be practical,” Lyden said.
The sanitary engineer’s operations are funded entirely by water and sewer-user fees, and its water-supply and sewer construction projects are funded by state and federal grants.
The county engineering department, which maintains roads and bridges and manages stormwater drainage, is funded by gasoline taxes, motor-vehicle license fees and federal and state grants.
The commissioners also rejected bids submitted Sept. 23 for new space for Boardman court, one of which would move it to a different part of Boardman Plaza, and the other from Sylvester Construction Co., for renovated space in a Boardman office building the company owns. The commissioners will advertise anew for bids.
Ludt said he voted to reject the bids and re-advertise because of the flooding problems the court has in its current quarters and because Sylvester’s bid came without a performance bond. Boardman court is on a month-to-month lease at Boardman Plaza.
milliken@vindy.com