Political newcomers win Poland, Canfield trustee races, DiVito, Zarlenga ousted

November 9, 2011 at 12:09a.m.

By Ashley luthern

youngstown

Voters in Poland and Canfield townships made a change Tuesday, ousting two trustee incumbents.

In Poland, Eric Ungaro defeated Annette Jeswald-DiVito, who has been a township trustee since 1999, and fellow challenger Tony Sferra, an assistant chief with the Western Reserve Joint Fire District.

Ungaro, who previously lost races for Youngstown City Council and Mahoning County commissioner, received 48 percent of the vote, while DiVito trailed with 33 percent and Sferra garnered 19 percent.

“I worked hard, and all I ever wanted to do was earn it,” Ungaro, 42, said.

Ungaro said when he takes office in January, the first thing he will do is shake hands with the two other trustees and then “get to work.”

One of his priorities is “to sit down with the school board, [Poland] village council, other trustees and even some private entities to figure out how to get a resource officer in the schools,” he said.

In Canfield, Stephen Maszczak upset incumbent Martha Zarlenga, who was elected trustee in 2007 and also served on the Canfield school board from 1984 to 2007.

Maszczak, 36, received 48 percent of the vote. Zarlenga followed with 37 percent and political newcomer Joe Paloski received 15 percent.

“I connected with voters in the township,” Maszczak said. “The first thing I want to do is orient myself with the system and get to know the other trustees, get a sense of what the most urgent issues are ... and get to work.”

Maszczak stressed accessibility during his campaign.

“I want to see what the individual concerns are and make myself available,” he said.

Boardman Trustee Larry Moliterno held on to his office. Moliterno received 59 percent of the vote, and challenger Richard S. Scarsella received 41 percent. Scarsella is a member of boards for the county educational service center and county soil and water district.

Moliterno said he views his re-election to a second term, and the passage of a township 3-mill renewal levy Tuesday, as sign of voter confidence.

“I think between this and the renewal and support of the police levy in August, people like the direction that the township’s going,” Moliterno said.

“People like the team that’s in place,” he added in reference to fellow Trustees Thomas Costello and Brad Calhoun.

Moliterno said his priority remains creating the Boardman 2016 plan, which will outline spending and prioritize projects throughout the township.

Moliterno and other officials have already begun work on the plan, which should be finalized next year.

“We’re going to stretch the levy dollars out as far as we can and run the township as efficiently as we can,” he said.

In Beaver Township, incumbent Ron Kappler received 60 percent of the vote, defeating Doug Crumbacher, who received 28 percent. In that race, 12 percent of voters wrote in a candidate.

The closest trustee race in Mahoning County was in Smith Township. Incumbent Valas W. Winters led Paul E. Freer by two votes, 554 to 552. That race is subject to an automatic recount.

In Poland, incumbent Fiscal Officer Joseph Granitto defeated Paul Canter, 59 percent to 41 percent.

The incumbent in Canfield, Carmen Heasley, also won re-election. Heasley received 55 percent of the vote and challenger Erin Steele-Tarasuck received 45 percent.