43
‘Really nice guy’ sworn in as Trumbull commissioner
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
There’s still uncertainty about the way the Trumbull County Democratic Party selected Mauro Cantalamessa to serve as county commissioner, but he was sworn in Monday morning and began his duties.
Judge W. Wyatt McKay of common pleas court stood in front of the courthouse with Cantalamessa, calling him “a really nice guy” before administering the oath of office.
Afterward, the 37-year-old Cantalamessa said he believes his experience as manager and co-owner of Enzo’s Restaurant on Elm Road gives him the marketing, budgeting and other business experience that will help him serve as commissioner.
He said his training 18 months as a high-school English teacher at Austintown Fitch High School 10 years ago gives him listening skills that are important for understanding people from all walks of life.
“I’m going to work tirelessly for the people of Trumbull County. I’m going there right now,” he said after being sworn in. “I think the key is listening to my trustees and my mayors is the key.”
Cantalamessa, of Warren, said he decided to seek the party’s nomination to fill the spot left vacant by the June 30 death of Paul Heltzel because he could replace some of the business knowledge Heltzel provided.
He left teaching 10 years ago to help his mother run the restaurant after the death of his father. He’s the brother of Warren’s safety-service director, Enzo Cantalamessa, and ran for commissioner in 2006, losing to Frank Fuda,
Fuda said he’s pleased with Cantalamessa’s selection because Cantalamessa is “not a politician. We want to work here as a team.” Even though Cantalamessa was an opponent, Fuda said he was impressed with his background and business experience.
“I think it’s going to work out well,” Fuda said, adding that some might wonder whether the board of commissioners would benefit from having another attorney on the board because Heltzel was an attorney.
But the commissioners have a full-time projects administrator, Jim Misocky, working for them who has a wealth of legal experience. Misocky was chief of the civil division of the county prosecutor’s office for many years before retiring, then coming to work for the commissioners in November 2012. He added that Heltzel also respected Cantalamessa.
Meanwhile, the other county commissioner, Dan Polivka, who is the county Democratic Party chairman, said a committee has been appointed to study the bylaws of other county parties and “look at what other communities do” to try resolve a conflict with the Ohio Democratic Party over the secret balloting used to select Cantalamessa.
Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern revoked use of reduced-price bulk mailing and access to a voter database for Trumbull County Democrats after the Central Committee cast two secret ballots in its selection of Cantalamessa on July 26. Redferm also has threatened to remove Polivka as county chairman over the matter.
Enzo Cantalamessa said Monday he believes the experiences he and his brother had working in the restaurant business are what led them both into public service.
“It’s good training. It teaches you a work ethic and it teaches you discipline,” he said, adding that he and his brother “grew up in the public” because of meeting so many people at the restaurant.