Pastor Stauffer to fill Lisa Oles' vacancy as Austintown trustee

March 4, 2015 at 12:07a.m.

By ROBERT CONNELLY

AUSTINTOWN

The Rev. Rick Stauffer has been appointed by Lisa Oles’ campaign committee to fill her term as an Austintown Township trustee.

The Rev. Mr. Stauffer, pastor of Tabernacle Evangelical Presbyterian Church on Raccoon Road, was Oles’ recommendation to fill her trustee spot when she announced her resignation in January, effective Feb. 1.

Oles said by email those committee members are Patrick Connolly, Linda Rein and Lisa Liposchak, whom she called close friends and active in the community.

Trustees Jim Davis and Ken Carano announced last week that they were sending the decision to Oles’ campaign committee since they could not agree. Davis said publicly he supported Mr. Stauffer.

“I think a lot of what I need to do here in the next couple weeks is see what’s on the table and get caught up to speed,” said Mr. Stauffer. “I think there are still some dreams with regard to some of the things that we’ve started and are working on. I would love to see us as a township find some unity ... try to get Austintown and everybody on the same page moving forward.”

Mr. Stauffer will serve the remainder of the year as that seat is up for a new full term in the November election.

“It’s great to know that I’m going to be able to serve with Rick for the next 10 months,” Davis said. “He stayed in touch with the police department, fire department, [and] sits on the zoning board. It’s not like he’s really left, so he’ll be able to pick up again and get going.”

“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,” Oles said at the Jan. 12 trustees meeting.

The pastor will be sworn in by Mahoning County Probate Judge Robert Rusu Jr. at 3 p.m. Friday at the township hall, 82 Ohltown Road.

Others who had expressed interest in the vacancy were: Andrea Paventi and Andy Frost Jr., who both applied to fill Ditzler’s 2013 vacancy; Bruce Shepas and Dave Stryffeler, who both ran for trustee in 2013; and Chris Lewis, Brent Davis, Bill Basista, Walt Duzzny and Atty. Alden Chevlen.