Stauffer sworn in as Austintown trustee

March 7, 2015 at 12:02a.m.

By ROBERT CONNELLY

AUSTINTOWN

The Rev. Rick Stauffer was sworn in Friday afternoon as a township trustee before members of his congregation, Austintown residents and officials of Austintown and Mahoning County.

“For those wondering, showing up Monday nights for trustee meetings does not count as going to church,” joked Jim Davis, chairman of the board of trustees.

Stauffer, pastor of Tabernacle Evangelical Presbyterian Church on Raccoon Road, was sworn in by Mahoning County Probate Judge Robert Rusu Jr. Stauffer’s wife, Daneen, held the Bible.

Other officials on hand included township Trustee Ken Carano, Mahoning County Juvenile Court Judge Theresa Dellick and Leo Connolly Jr., of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 2, one of many veterans at the ceremony.

Stauffer will serve the remaining 10 months of Lisa Oles’ vacated term after her resignation effective Feb. 1. Oles had recommended the pastor, and her campaign committee appointed him earlier this week after Carano and Davis could not agree on a replacement.

“My committee members have always been actively involved in the Austintown community as I have served with each one of them on different organizations,” said Oles in an email this week. “As a result of their community involvement, they had keen insight as to who demonstrated leadership skills, excelled in communication, volunteered in the community on a consistent basis, and was well respected. Ultimately, their choice was Rev. Rick Stauffer.”

Carano had said that he wanted a candidate that would not seek a full term in the November elections, citing the precedent for when Stauffer filled in for David Ditzler’s vacancy in 2013 when he left to become a Mahoning County commissioner.

“Right now, I have a team that is discerning whether I’m going to run. Last time I was able to say solidly I wasn’t running. I haven’t decided to run at this point, but I’m considering running,” Stauffer said.

Stauffer has to step down from the Austintown Board of Zoning Appeals and will have another person join him as the chaplain of the Austintown Fire Department. The pastor will continue his church responsibilities.