Valesky closer to Warren council seat

WARREN

James Valesky is one step closer to his first election win, as an at-large member of Warren City Council.

A vote recount scheduled for Thursday was canceled at the request of his opponent, Bill Kruppa.

Kruppa lost out for the third at-large council position in the May 3 primary to Valesky by 19 votes 2,411 to 2,391, but that total was close enough to qualify for an automatic recount. The two other top vote-getters were incumbents Helen Rucker and Dan Sferra.

The elections board assembled Thursday morning to conduct the recount, but Kruppa told elections-board workers by telephone to cancel it.

Kelly Pallante, elections-board director, has said that none of the recounts conducted in Trumbull County since 2005, when the county started using electronic voting equipment, have changed the vote total.

The only chance left for someone other than Valesky to win the third at-large council position is for someone to run as a write-in candidate in November. There is no Republican running.

Valesky, meanwhile, said he looks forward to possibly taking office next January.

“I love this city dearly,” said Valesky, a car salesman who founded the Perkins Neighborhood Association and has participated in the Downtown Revitalization Committee.

“I’m going to help get the citizens’ voice heard. It has nothing to do with me. I want to make the city a better place to live, work and raise a family.”