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Oles resigns as Austintown trustee effective Feb. 1
Rev. Rick Stauffer suggested as replacement to fill term
By ROBERT CONNELLY
AUSTINTOWN
While holding her 6-year-old-granddaughter, Aubrie, Lisa Oles announced her resignation as a trustee effective Feb. 1.
“I have appreciated the love and the support that the residents have shown me through the years,” Oles said Monday night. “It has truly, truly been an amazing journey for me, but nothing lasts forever, and my journey as your Austintown trustee will end.”
Oles said she and her husband are relocating to Colorado. She received a standing ovation from the crowd in attendance, mostly made up of Austintown Fitch High School students.
The Rev. Rick Stauffer, who was at Monday’s trustee meeting, is Oles’ recommendation to fill the rest of her 11-month term. This year marks Oles’ 12th year as a trustee.
“It would be my hope that Rev. Rick Stauffer will be chosen to fulfill the remainder of my term,” Oles said.
“Rick is good for Austintown. He is probably the most nonpolitical person you could ever meet, and he has the best interests of Austintown at heart.”
The Rev. Mr. Stauffer, senior pastor of Tabernacle Evangelical Presbyterian Church on Raccoon Road, filled the remainder of David Ditzler’s trustee term when he resigned to become a Mahoning County commissioner in January 2013.
Trustee Jim Davis said he would give his comments on Oles and her impact on Austintown at the next trustee meeting, Oles’ last, Jan. 26.
He did say that out of respect for Oles, he and Trustee Ken Carano have not begun the discussions of who will replace Oles.
“Lisa Oles is your township trustee until Feb. 1, and until that time, I would ask for the Austintown community’s respect” on the selection process, Davis said.
Davis is now chairman of the trustee board, and Carano is vice chairman. Both decisions were unanimous.
Davis said after the meeting he and Carano will meet and decide the selection process once Oles officially resigns.
In other business, township officials highlighted three recent deaths of residents who impacted the community — Melanie Mayesky, John Serenko and Dean McClain.
“She was the first police woman Austintown had, and it was a sad day” when she died, said police Chief Robert Gavalier of Mayesky.
The flag flying in front of the police department has been at half-staff since late last week in her honor.
There was a moment of silence for her and Serenko, who helped make the Austintown Senior Center a reality, township officials noted.
McClain was a member and past president of the Austintown Democratic Club, Oles said.