Dianne L. Fry is new dog warden

Dianne L. Fry is new dog warden

Dianne L. Fry is new dog warden

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County commissioners have hired Dianne L. Fry as county dog warden at $57,990 a year, effective July 8.

Selected from among 15 applicants, she will replace Matt Ditchey, who resigned earlier this year.

Fry chose not to comment Thursday, deferring all statements to the commissioners.

“We’re going to have either a new building or a renovated building, and we need to get our administrative staff in order,” said Carol Rimedio-Righetti, chairwoman of the county commissioners, referring to plans for the dog pound.

“We are looking for the feasibility of building new vs. renovating the old,” or finding a suitable building that can be renovated into an animal pound, Righetti said after the commissioners hired Fry.

“Her vision for the dog warden’s office is to make it more accessible to the volunteers,” to have a three-year strategic plan for the office, and to seek grants to help fund the pound, Righetti said of Fry.

Fry, of Norquest Boulevard, Austintown, has been employed by Austintown Township since 1992 and now serves as its assistant fiscal officer.

She has also worked since 2010 at the Mahoning Valley Veterinary Centre on state Route 46, first as a front-desk assistant and then as a bookkeeper.

From 1995-2005, she was a veterinary technician assistant and bookkeeper at the After Hours Animal Emergency Clinic in Girard.

From 1985-92, she worked as a veterinary technician assistant at the Niles Veterinary Clinic.

Righetti said the $6.6 million proposal for a new combined dog and cat pound, which was presented to the commissioners in January by Olsavsky-Jaminet Architects of Youngstown and Animal Arts of Boulder, Colo., is too expensive, but she declined to specify a dollar amount she’d be willing to spend for the new facility.