Judge Rusu to interview MetroParks board candidates today

June 2, 2016 at 12:10a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County Probate Judge Robert N. Rusu Jr. today will interview the five candidates for two vacant Mill Creek MetroParks board seats that were recommended to him by a selection committee.

Those five candidates, whose names were released by the judge’s office Wednesday, are:

• James Callen of Mineral Ridge

• Lee Frey of Canfield

• Raymond Jaminet of Youngstown

• Frank Nolasco of Youngstown

• Thomas Shipka of Youngstown

Board candidates were vetted by a 10-person committee recently empaneled by the judge, who by state law is the appointing authority for the MetroParks board.

Out of 16 applicants, the selection committee on Tuesday interviewed seven of them.

“I would like to thank each of the 16 candidates who applied for the position. Their courage to step up and want to take a leadership role speaks volumes about these individuals’ character and their love for the park,” the judge stated in the release.

Judge Rusu plans to make his decision by the June 13 MetroParks board meeting.

Reached by The Vindicator Wednesday, Shipka identified his top priorities if he is selected to serve on the board.

“The first would be trying to restore public confidence in the board, given developments in the past few months,” he said.

“I think the board has to adopt a policy of much greater transparency before important decisions are made,” he added. “The taxpayers need to be informed of impending decisions and they need to be given the justification of those decisions before the fact, not after the fact.”

MetroParks leaders came under fire from some members of the public following a February staff restructuring that eliminated the positions of 13 MetroParks employees.

It was amid that public outcry that Judge Rusu created a selection committee comprised of community members with varied interests in the park to help him choose MetroParks board members.

“My goal with the selection committee was to give greater input to the public in the choosing of the next park commissioners,” the judge said in Wednesday’s release.

Of the other candidates who were reached by The Vindicator on Wednesday, all declined to comment on specific aspects of the selection process or the MetroParks, saying they want to hold off on speaking publicly until the process is complete.

“I’m looking forward to the opportunity if I get it. If I don’t, I really wish the two people who do get it the very best,” said Frey.