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Trumbull commissioners expected to approve retire/rehire of county 911 director
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
The Trumbull County commissioners are expected to approve the retirement and rehiring of Ernie Cook as county 911 director at their meeting today.
The commissioners’ agenda for Wednesday includes a resolution that would authorize the rehiring. Commissioners Frank Fuda and Mauro Cantalamessa, who were asked about it Tuesday, said they planned to vote in favor.
Cook was part-time county 911 director for several years, after the death in 2010 of the previous 911 director, Michael Dolhancryk. Cook became full-time director in May 2016.
He earns $80,816 annually and gets six weeks of paid vacation.
If his rehiring is approved, his pay will drop $7,220 to $73,596 annually, and he will give up four weeks of vacation worth $6,145, said Richard Jackson, county human resources director.
The county commissioners had a public hearing June 14, as required by law, to take comments from the public regarding Cook retiring and being rehired.
In other business, the commissioners had a long discussion at Tuesday’s work session about possibly reversing an earlier decision to transfer rides for clients of the Trumbull County Department of Job and Family Services to the county’s public transportation provider, Trumbull Transit.
Fuda said the way in which the rides are provided – through contracts with various transportation companies – has worked efficiently, so he sees no reason to switch to something that appears to be more expensive.
The rides have cost about $20 each under the old system but are likely to rise to about $45 per ride under Trumbull Transit, which provides rides through Community Bus Service of Youngstown, Fuda said.
When the county switched from providing rides for senior citizens through the Office of Elderly Affairs to Trumbull Transit several years ago, the satisfaction level of the riders dropped, Fuda said.
He fears the same thing may happen if the rides for JFS are transferred to Trumbull Transit, Fuda said. He also fears that switching could lead to legal action being filed against the county commissioners, he said.
Cantalamessa said he also believes the issue needs to be researched further. Fuda said he would like to schedule an additional public meeting involving the county commissioners and JFS to discuss it.
Michael Verich, mobility manager for the transit board, said the change from rides by Office of Elderly Affairs has saved the county a great deal of money.
He said the full transit board also approved the JFS change to the transit board at a meeting in May, despite Fuda’s opposition.
As for cost, Verich said it won’t necessarily cost $45 per ride. It will be up to the transit board and the companies bidding on the rides to agree on a price.