Trumbull commissioners fail to notify public of budget meetings

Staff report

WARREN

The Trumbull County commissioners may have violated the Ohio Open Meetings Act by failing to notify the public via the news media about two budget hearings Monday and Tuesday.

The annual budget hearings enable department heads to talk to county commissioners and Auditor Adrian Biviano about their written budget proposals and get feedback.

Hearings were scheduled at half-hour intervals from 9 a.m. through 4 p.m. both days and included meetings with Sheriff Thomas Altiere and Sheriff-elect Paul Monroe, Coroner Dr. Humphrey Germaniuk, Prosecutor Dennis Watkins and heads of about 20 other departments.

Because no notifications were sent to area newspapers, no local newspaper sent a reporter to the meetings. One television reporter attended one of the hearings after being alerted to it by employees concerned about possible budget cuts.

When asked about the lack of notification, the office staff member who sends notices said she made a mistake and apologized.

According to the Ohio Open Meetings Act, public bodies must “take official action and conduct all deliberation upon official business in open meetings where the public may attend and observe.”

For more on the situation, read Thursday's Vindicator or Vindy.com.