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Probe of probate worker begins
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
YOUNGSTOWN
An employee of the Mahoning County Probate Court has been placed on unpaid administrative leave pending an internal court investigation.
Donald D. Gaudio Jr., 48, of Applecrest Drive, Boardman, deputy clerk and guardianship investigator, was placed on leave Monday morning and has turned in his court credentials, Judge Mark Belinky announced.
The investigation, which should be completed in about two weeks, is being headed by Richard Burgess, the court’s chief magistrate, Judge Belinky said. The probe appears to involve only Gaudio, Judge Belinky added.
The court has obtained information on Gaudio’s employment and must determine whether Gaudio “has engaged in any inappropriate behavior during his employment with this court,” Judge Belinky wrote without elaborating in a Monday judgment entry.
A check of Gaudio’s personnel file, however, does not reveal any prior disciplinary notices. Gaudio could not be reached for comment.
The judge said he made the probe public because of rumors circulating about it. Judge Belinky said it is “unfair and distracting to the other employees of the court to be the subject of innuendos and rumors.”
Gaudio was hired into the full-time, nonunion, noncivil-service job on Dec. 8, 2008, at $23,000 a year, but his salary rose to $23,690 on Jan. 4, 2009.
On his job application, Gaudio said he wasn’t related to any current elected or appointed county official, had a valid driver’s license, and had never been dismissed or asked to resign from employment.
Gaudio also said he had never been convicted of a felony involving dishonesty, false statements, violence or offenses of moral turpitude.
Gaudio said he was a graduate of Cardinal Mooney High School and attended Youngstown State University for two years.
The work history he listed included sales positions with Wetzel Plastics and Applewood Home Improvement, 2 1/2 years as a shift manager with Comprehensive Logistics, and nine years as a production manager and safety coordinator at Schwebel Baking Co.
He also said he had worked as an assistant warehouse manager, corporate safety coordinator, and developer of new-hire training at Giant Eagle Inc.
His job application and r sum did not show any investigative experience or experience in the legal field, nor did they report any work experience related to the major concerns of the probate court: estates, guardianships, adoptions or mental health issues.
Judge Belinky declined to comment beyond his news release and judgment entry.