43
Port authority approves contract with its new economic development director
By Ed Runyan
VIENNA
The Western Reserve Port Authority approved the three-year, $90,000-per-year contract with its new economic-development director, Anthony Trevena, on Wednesday at its regular meeting.
The contract allows the board or Trevena to get out of the contract with 30 days’ written notice.
He answers to John Moliterno, executive director and will “oversee and coordinate activities, projects and staff for the economic development division” and “maintain contact and liaison with all local government subdivisions, including Mahoning and Trumbull counties, municipal corporations and townships, in an effort to market the port authority’s financing tools,” the contract says.
Among the areas of importance listed are financing, community development, convening economic-development partners, infrastructure development, workforce provision and “deal flow as required for new industry and job creation.”
He is eligible for a bonus or other compensation “based upon performance, as employer deems appropriate.”
Trevena, attending his first port-authority meeting as an employee, gave a brief economic-development report, talking about a brownfield project, projects in discussion with potential employers and “proactive press kits” to the news media on economic-development programs.
Board member David Mosure, one of the strategic planning committee members who interviewed Trevena when he was a candidate for executive director, welcomed Trevena.
“We’re very happy to have you, and we are going to do some exciting things together,” he said.
Moliterno provided a copy of his own three-year contract Wednesday, though it has not been signed. The port-authority board approved it July 15.
It pays $110,000 per year and has the same 30-day out clause and similar benefits and bonus potential as Trevena’s.
Moliterno is chief operating officer for the port authority. He reports to the chairman of the board, Ron Klingle.
Moliterno “shall be in charge of the [port authority’s] development and finance efforts” and other endeavors at the board’s direction, it says. His performance will be reviewed annually.
The board spent much of its time Wednesday talking privately about personnel matters and hearing a presentation by Atty. Edwin Romero of the area firm Manchester, Newman and Bennett, on Ohio laws relating to public records, open meetings and ethics.