Committee picks long-time city employee for auditor

Staff report

Struthers

City residents in the Mahoning County Democratic Party Central Committee overwhelmingly selected interim Auditor Christina Bohl to fill the auditor’s job through 2015.

David Betras, county Democratic Party chairman, said Bohl got 13 votes to one vote cast for Sondra Smith, the only other candidate.

Bohl has been the city’s deputy auditor for 12 years and a city employee for 17 years.

The vacancy was created by the March resignation of Tina Morell, who held the job for 10 years.

Before that, she served 13 years as the city’s deputy tax commissioner.

Her term expires Dec. 31, 2015.

At the time of her resignation, Morell cited her sister’s illness and a need to care for her as the reason she was stepping down.

Mayor Terry Stocker has told The Vindicator that Morell’s resignation was not related to a routine audit the state is performing on the city’s finances.

He lauded the job she did in the position, saying she significantly increased the city’s budget carryover from $42,000 in 2004 to $400,000 in 2012.