Friday, February 20, 2015
YOUNGSTOWN
Youngstown members of the Mahoning County Democratic Party’s central and executive committees will meet Wednesday to consider endorsements of candidates running for city council seats in the seven wards.
The meeting will start at 6 p.m. at Grace Evangelistic Temple Church, 2214 Mahoning Ave.
Party Chairman David Betras said last month the local party is “probably not going to weigh in” on the city council races.
Betras said he changed his mind after getting numerous requests for the party to endorse for city council.
He said, however, he won’t change his mind on not endorsing in Struthers.
There are 23 Democratic candidates for seven Youngstown council seats on the May 5 primary ballot with the most being six for the open 5th Ward position.
Betras and Kenneth A. Carano, the party’s elections chairman, don’t expect all 23 to seek the nomination or to remain candidates.
The city’s seven wards are redistricted with this year’s election, which moves some elected central committee members into new wards. With a reduction in the number of Youngstown wards from 77 to 45, there could be some confusion.
To obtain endorsements, candidates need to get 50 percent of the vote plus one from those in the wards, Betras said. If that doesn’t happen, the candidate in each ward with the least amount of votes is dropped and another vote is conducted, he said. That happens until someone gets more than 50 percent of the vote.
Also, members of the committees can vote not to endorse.
Those interested in seeking the party’s endorsement must contact Carano by midnight Saturday to be eligible for consideration. Carano can be reached on his cellphone at 330-519-6948, his home phone at 330-792-7584, or by email at kac304@aol.com. Candidates should leave their names and a phone number or email for Carano to verify the requests.
The party won’t endorse in any races in Struthers, the only other city in the county with a Democratic primary, Betras said.
There are two candidates for mayor — Danny Thomas Jr., a former council president and 1st Ward councilman, and Ronald Carcelli, a school board member and the city’s former street department foreman.
Thomas was convicted in August 1987 by a federal judge of illegal use of a communication facility (a telephone) to distribute cocaine, a felony. A Mahoning County Common Pleas Court judge sealed his record in July 1998, and he received a pardon from President Bill Clinton in December 1999.
Carcelli was indicted in June 2002 on felony charges of theft in office, bribery and theft related to his time as the city’s street department foreman.
In 2005, he was found guilty of a misdemeanor count of unlawful interest in a public contract. He was ordered to pay $5,000 restitution to the city and a $1,000 fine. An indictment alleged Carcelli got about $5,000 in bribes, and the city was improperly billed for about $8,000 for asphalt that wasn’t used. A common pleas court judge sealed his record in September 2012.
“It’s the chairman’s prerogative to not endorse,” Betras said. “It has to do with the fact that as a party, we shouldn’t endorse in that mayor’s race. You can infer whatever you want. We’ll back the winner in the general election.”
There are also competitive races in Struthers for council at-large seats and for the 4th Ward.