Sunday, October 17, 2010
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Carol Rimedio Righetti
MAHONING COUNTY COMMISSIONER
Candidate
Republican challenger Don Manning did not submit information to The Vindicator on his candidacy.
CAROL RIMEDIO-RIGHETTI
Education: 1970 Ursuline High School graduate; attended Youngstown State University.
Family: Husband is Frank J. Righetti Sr.
Occupation: Retired Mahoning County Board of Elections clerk; 4th Ward Youngstown city councilwoman for past seven years.
Reasons for runnning: To establish a comprehensive five-year economic development plan to create jobs and improve the quality of life for all Mahoning County residents; to build working relations among all public officials and county departments and alleviate gridlock and infighting; to create a county grant application writing department to make sure the county gets its fair share of state and federal funds; and to establish a spirit of cooperation among the commissioners, business, labor and families in the county.
Priorities if elected: To combine services in a centralized location to foster efficiency and partnerships without eliminating jobs; to offer retirement incentives to county employees; to work collaboratively with local, state and federal governments, labor, business, educational institutions, and the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber to develop an incentive package to attract new business to the county and retain existing Mahoning Valley businesses.
Qualifications: Seven years as 4th Ward Youngstown city councilwoman, including being chairwoman of council’s finance, public utilities and legislation committees and vice chairwoman of council’s education committee.
YOUNGSTOWN
If she’s elected Nov. 2, Carol Rimedio-Righetti, Democratic candidate for Mahoning County commissioner, said she’ll devote a full-time, hands-on effort to that job, with an open mind, an open-door policy and a willingness to listen to all points of view.
“It’s up to the county commissioners to bring everybody to the table, and let’s work together,” she said in a recent meeting with The Vindicator’s editorial board.
“We, as commissioners, should participate in the efforts to help all Mahoning County residents,” said Righetti, 59, who has been Youngstown’s 4th Ward city councilwoman since 2003.
“I am passionate, not only about Youngstown, but Mahoning County,” she said.
On complex issues, such as improving the county’s 911 system and consolidating its answering points, experts need to be consulted, Righetti said.
For example, she noted that she has met several times with Atty. David “Chip” Comstock, fire chief of Western Reserve Fire District, on 911 improvements.
In this year’s May primary, Righetti defeated David N. Ludt, a 12-year incumbent commissioner, after Comstock withdrew.
To get the best and brightest applicants for key jobs, the county needs to advertise, Righetti said.
In selecting its next Job and Family Services director to replace Judee Genetin, who recently resigned, the job should be advertised locally and statewide, and people from the business community should be appointed to the interviewing committee, Righetti said.
To cut long-term personnel costs, the county should consider offering an early-retirement incentive to employees, avoiding unnecessary replacement of retirees, and establishing a lower wage tier for new hires, she said.
The county should consider shifting JFS employees as needed, possibly adding staff to the Medicaid division to better assist the growing elderly population, she said.
Soon after she takes office, she said she plans to visit every county department head and elected official to learn about their office functions and staff and ask each of those officials to attend at least two commissioners’ meetings a month.
When asked about the perception that she is loyal to Cafaro Co. interests, she said: “I make my own decisions. ...No one controls me.”
Anthony M. Cafaro Sr., retired president of the Cafaro Co., contributed $200 to her primary campaign this year and made no gift to her general election campaign, she said. “That $200 couldn’t even buy me a radio spot,” Righetti said.
Righetti said she spent about $60,000 on her primary campaign and expects to spend $20,000 to $30,000 in her general election campaign.
Righetti added she believes the commissioners have given too much responsibility to George J. Tablack, county administrator and budget director.
Righetti’s Republican opponent Don Manning of North Lima did not submit a candidate information form and did not respond to a request to be interviewed. Manning, a jewelry business manager, ran unsuccessfully for Trumbull County commissioner in 2002 and for 17th District Congress in 2006.