MYCAP trustees to be tested with hiring of a new director

If you add up all the things that a state investigation initially identified as being wrong with the Mahoning-Youngstown Community Action Partnership, you can’t help but conclude that the fault lies with more than just one man.

To be sure, Richard Roller III had to be fired as the director by the board of trustees. But, the action came after the release of some of the findings from the probe being conducted by the Ohio Department of Development. Indeed, the question that must be answered is this: How closely were the trustees looking over the shoulder of their director and the management team?

The state investigation which began late last year is focusing on misuse of funds, nepotism, conflict of interest and a number of other issues, including weatherization work done on Roller’s house.

MYCAP is a non-profit agency that administers 11 programs in Mahoning County to help poor and disadvantaged people.

It is encouraging that the board of trustees is looking to replace Roller with someone who has a strong professional and educational background. The ideal candidate would have at least 10 years of work history and knowledge of community action agencies, and at least a bachelor’s degree, with a master’s preferred, in business administration or a related field.

To be sure, the state investigation forced the board’s hand with regard to Roller’s firing, and it is to be hoped that the preliminary report to be released at the end of the month will deal with the shortcomings in the management of the nonprofit agency.

Dumping grounds

For too long, public entities in the Mahoning Valley have been treated as dumping grounds for marginally or unqualified friends and relatives of officeholders, other high-ranking public officials and even influential people in the community. That practice must end.

Indeed, one of the findings of the state probe that can be placed at the feet of the trustees is the hiring practices during Roller’s tenure. According to the state development department, Roller hired his brother, Jason, as food-service manager. In addition, two of the director’s cousins and his daughter were also on the payroll, as were other close family members.

How could a public entity that is funded by the taxpayers become an employment agency for members of one family? Did the trustees know about the hirings? If they did, was there any discussion about nepotism? If they didn’t, why didn’t they?

Roller has contended that he “strictly adhered” to MYCAP’s nepotism policy, which says that agency employees cannot live in the same household. The policy is not geared toward family members specifically but toward people living in the same household, he said.

Say what?

An important public agency has been found to be lacking. Major changes are demanded — starting with the hiring of a director who is not related to, tied to or indebted to anyone in the Mahoning Valley.