Trumbull commissioner still gathering information regarding controversial engineering contract

Staff report

WARREN

Trumbull County Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa said he needs to formally hear from Randy Smith, the county highway engineer and sanitary engineer, regarding a controversial engineering contract before Cantalamessa decides his next step.

Fellow commissioner Frank Fuda raised questions at the Oct. 6 commissioners’ meeting about the process that elevated a Youngstown engineering firm to the top position to get the contract despite poor ratings from three top supervisors at the sanitary engineer’s office.

“I think we must revisit this contract for possible rebidding,” Fuda said.

He handed packets of information to Cantalamessa and Commissioner Dan Polivka that showed the rankings and a letter from Scott Verner of the sanitary engineer’s office as to how CT Consultants and MS Consultants, both of Youngstown, were chosen.

Fuda says he thinks some “partiality” took place to recommend the contract go to CT Consultants and MS Consultants instead of Burgess and Niple, which ranked No. 1 when an earlier group of officials from the sanitary engineer’s office did the ranking.

Cantalamessa said after he has a formal explanation from Smith, he’ll decide whether he wants to hold a meeting among the commissioners and Smith to discuss who should get the contract or what should happen next.

Polivka did not respond to a request to comment on the matter.