Masternick resigns as Trumbull rep on port authority

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John J. Masternick

By ED RUNYAN

runyan@vindy.com

VIENNA

John J. Masternick has resigned as Trumbull County representative on the Western Reserve Port Authority because of his increased family and work responsibilities after the death of his father.

Masternick said he had intended to leave the port authority at the end of 2009, when his most-recent term expired, but he stayed on a couple of extra months to help the authority’s new economic-development director get established.

Masternick, who became a board member about 10 years ago, said his responsibilities to his family and role within the Girard-based Windsor House Inc. nursing home company increased when his father, John Masternick, died a year ago.

His father and mother started the nursing home chain in the 1950s.

Masternick said the hiring of Rose Ann DeLeon in November to be executive director leaves him confident the port authority is “headed in the right direction.”

“I’m confident in Rose Ann DeLeon’s ability to carry the ball in the economic- development area,” Masternick said.

The authority also is on the verge of replacing Steve Bowser, the airport manager who resigned to take a job in California last year, Masternick said. That hire also will be “a good one,” he said.

At last month’s meeting, port authority member Andres Visnapuu, who was appointed in January by Mahoning County commissioners, raised questions about the amount of money being paid to DeLeon ($155,000 per year in salary) and lack of a business plan to earn money back for her efforts.

Masternick and DeLeon said much of that information will be provided when she presents a business plan to the board in the coming weeks.

Masternick’s resignation means there are two Trumbull County vacancies on the board. Trumbull representative Thomas Petrarca resigned earlier this year. The positions are unpaid.

The boards of county commissioners in Trumbull and Mahoning counties each appoint four members to the port authority, which runs Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in the township.