43
Oles reflects on time as trustee with laughs, tears
Photo
Austintown Township Trustee Lisa Oles and fellow Trustee Jim Davis laugh during Oles’ last meeting as a township trustee Monday night. Citizens, politicians and civic groups were on hand to remember her time as a township official.
By ROBERT CONNELLY
AUSTINTOWN
Lisa Oles teetered between laughter and tears during her last meeting as an Austintown trustee Monday night.
A crowd full of supporters, friends and family talked about what Oles has meant to the township since she was sworn in as a trustee Jan. 1, 2004. Oles gave a speech thanking those who have impacted her during her time in the township, but that was preceded by recognition from colleagues, fellow township officials and residents.
“It’s been a good run. I thank you all for being here. I take Austintown with me as I go, and I’m sure whoever fills this position is going to do what’s right for Austintown,” Oles said. “Since 2004, no renewal, no replacement and no new levy has ever fallen in this township. The residents of this community have always supported us and given us the funding we needed to make things right in this community. I thank Austintown for that.”
She was honored with a key to Austintown, presented by trustee Jim Davis, and letters of recognition from state Reps. Ronald V. Gerberry of Austintown, D-59th, and Michele Lepore-Hagan of Youngstown, D-58th, American Legion Post 301, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 2 Youngstown, the Mahoning County commissioners and the Austintown Junior Soccer League.
“It was really fun and interesting to watch you grow as a public figure,” Gerberry said. “As a resident of this community, I want to say thank you.”
Oles noted that all of the current department heads were selected during her tenure as trustee, and all thanked Oles and wished her good luck. The comments either left Oles laughing or crying.
“Thank you for being my friend, and I’m going to miss you,” said Todd Shaffer, head of Austintown parks. During the early part of the meeting, an airplane could be heard flying overhead. Davis joked, “You got a flyover, Lisa!”
Davis was emotional in his farewell speech to Oles, quoting “A Friend to Me,” a song by Garth Brooks.
“She always gave me the courage to stand up and be Jim Davis,” he said. “It was because of you and wanting to serve with you — [that] is why I kept fighting and I’m here with you today.”
Among the officials on hand for Monday’s farewell were Lepore-Hagan and her husband, Robert Hagan, Gerberry, Mahoning County Commissioner David Ditzler, Mahoning County Engineer Patrick T. Ginnetti and Austintown Board of Education member Harold Porter.
Ditzler and Oles joked about their public scuffles early in Oles’ tenure and then how they grew over the years. “I think you’re the most dedicated, hard-working, passionate, most loyal person I’ve worked with,” he said.
Oles noted some of the things she has worked on as a trustee, including the Austintown Senior Center, the 9/11 Memorial Park, the Falcon Forward Committee of Austintown, assisting homes flooded in the Wickliffe area in 2006, Austintown Rotary and Austintown Junior Women’s League.
Davis ended Monday’s meeting discussing Oles’ replacement, a term that would run for the rest of 2015.
“Replacing Lisa will not be an easy task,” Davis said. “We will be in contact with some people and also are keeping open minds to anyone else that might be interested.”
Davis said he and Trustee Ken Carano will continue to meet on the subject over the coming weeks. Oles has recommended that the Rev. Rick Stauffer fill the rest of her term. He is the pastor of Tabernacle Evangelical Presbyterian Church on Raccoon Road.