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Marsico to face challenger in 2012
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Mahoning County Engineer Richard Marsico
YOUNGSTOWN
For the first time in 12 years, Mahoning County Engineer Richard A. Marsico is expected to have an opponent when he seeks re-election next year.
Patrick T. Ginnetti of Struthers said Thursday that he will file by the December deadline to challenge Marsico in the March 2012 Democratic primary for the seat.
This would be Ginnetti’s first run for public office.
Ginnetti, 39, said he quit his state job three months ago to concentrate on the election. Under state law, Ginnetti couldn’t hold the classified position with the state and run for a partisan elected post.
He was a designer with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ abandoned mine-land section’s acid mine division for three years, based in Salem. The job involved removal of heavy metals from water that flows through abandoned coal mines.
“I want to get a jump-start on my campaign,” Ginnetti said about why he quit. “It’s been a career goal [to be county engineer] and I felt this was the time.”
Ginnetti currently works as a part-time professor at Youngstown State University teaching basic surveying. He ran his own engineering and surveying company from 2002 to 2008.
When asked about Marsico, Ginnetti declined to discuss the longtime county engineer. “I want to focus on myself,” he said.
Marsico, 76, said he will run for re-election next year. He hasn’t had a challenger since 2000.
Marsico said he’s running because “I enjoy the job. I have several projects nearing completion.”
Those include work on Glenwood Avenue in Youngstown and the replacement of the Division Street Bridge in Youngstown.
Marsico said he knows “a little bit” about Ginnetti.
“He ran his own company,” Marsico said.
“He hasn’t had any real experience running a big operation like the engineer’s office and handling personnel.”