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Winds of change sweep Youngstown
On the side
New political entity: Former state Rep. Kenneth Carano, who also served as ex-Gov. Ted Strickland’s Mahoning Valley regional director, has created a nonprofit political organization: Progressive Freedom Fund.
It should come as no surprise that the organization’s first target is Gov. John Kasich, the Republican who beat Democrat Strickland in last year’s race.
Carano said he wants his organization to raise $100,000 to air TV commercials opposing Kasich and SB 5, the state law that restricts collective bargaining for public officials. A referendum overturning the law is on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Even if the $100,000 goal is reached, that amount of money isn’t going to pay for more than a few airings on TV stations.
The commercials can be viewed on the organization’s website: progressivefreedomfund.org.
Time for R&R: I’ll be on vacation next week so there won’t be a column from me next Friday.
The changes in leadership in Youngstown city government this month are significant — and they’re not done yet.
It started with a bang as Mayor Jay Williams resigned Aug. 1 to join the President Barack Obama administration as executive director of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Recovery for Auto Community and Workers.
City Council President Charles Sammarone replaced Williams as mayor that day. Also, Jamael Tito Brown resigned Aug. 1 as 3rd Ward councilman to succeed Sammarone as president.
The two participated in a ceremonial swearing-in Tuesday. Sammarone said he didn’t plan to hold an event, but his grandchildren wanted it.
“I’m not much for pomp and circumstance,” he said.
But it was obvious from the smile on his face and when he got a bit choked up mentioning that he wished his deceased siblings were there that it wasn’t just for the grandkids.
On Wednesday, Mahoning County Democratic Party precinct committee members from the city’s 3rd Ward selected Nate Pinkard to replace Brown.
One amusing moment was Mahoning Democratic Chairman David Betras using a hammer — a gavel couldn’t be found — to call the meeting to order and to end it.
Kenneth Carano, the party’s executive vice chairman, quipped that Betras wasn’t starting the meeting, he was fixing a table.
DeMaine Kitchen resigned Monday as 2nd Ward councilman to be Sammarone’s administrative assistant/secretary/right-hand man/whatever the mayor wants to call him.
Kitchen’s replacement will be selected today by county Democratic precinct committee members from the city’s 2nd Ward.
With two new members of council, there will be shake-ups with committee assignments. Expect the more senior members of the seven-person board to take leadership roles.
When referring to “more senior members,” I mean the four who were elected in 2007. (Councilman Mike Ray took over Carol Rimedio-Righetti’s unexpired term in December 2010.) Only John R. Swierz, D-7th, has served more than a full term on council.
There are two key positions to be replaced by Sammarone with the impending retirements of Police Chief Jimmy Hughes and Law Director Iris Torres Guglucello.
Sammarone said he’ll appoint “from within” the department and that person will be in place sometime in September.
Former police Lt. Robin Lees, a 33-year veteran who spend the last five years of his law enforcement career as commander of the Mahoning Valley Task Force before retiring in January; Detective Sgt. Donald Scott, who’s also an attorney; and Capt. Rod Foley, chief of the detective division, have confirmed their interest in the job.
The law director appointment will probably also be an in-house appointment. Anthony J. Farris and Dan Pribich, both deputy law directors, are likely the two top contenders to replace Guglucello.