Officials divided on possible hiring of Moliterno for port authority

VIENNA

The chairman of the Western Reserve Port Authority says he’s prepared to talk to his fellow board members today about the possible hiring of John Moliterno as economic-development director.

Chairman Ron Klingle said the board will consider hiring Moliterno on a four-month basis or longer to replace Rose Ann DeLeon, who worked in that position until January, when she went on disability leave.

Moliterno was chairman of the port authority and president of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, both in the 1990s, and is a current and former member of Girard City Council and current owner of a Youngstown printing company.

Moliterno also is one of 11 people under consideration for the vacancy as a Trumbull County commissioner. The Trumbull County Democratic Party Central Committee will fill the vacancy at a meeting Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, Mahoning County commissioners are expressing concern — not over Molitern’s qualifications but over the selection process, Commissioner Anthony Traficanti said Tuesday.

“Was there a search committee? Was it done fairly and properly?” he said.

Read more about the matter in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.