Lawsuit seeks to remove Brown as Y'town mayor

YOUNGSTOWN — Dario Hunter, a Youngstown school board member, filed a lawsuit today in the Ohio Supreme Court seeking to require the Mahoning County Democratic Party’s central committee and Chairman David Betras to appoint a new Youngstown mayor.

Hunter’s contention is Jamael Tito Brown, the current mayor, doesn’t validly hold the office because he didn’t obtain a faithful performance bond required for the job by Jan. 1, his first day in the position.

Brown obtained a performance bond Feb. 21, retroactive to Feb. 1.

Law Director Jeff Limbian said the bond’s underwriters notified him Monday that the bond will be retroactive to Jan. 1 shortly.

“I don’t know if it’s needed by Jan. 1,” Limbian said. “There is a reasonable time period needed to obtain the bond. It’s a process. These were done by February which is reasonable, but to be sure, we’re having it done retroactively to Jan. 1.”

Hunter said: “The questionable plan for retroactive coverage aside, the facts remain that the required bond was not obtained on time. Jamael Tito Brown is not the mayor of Youngstown and I ask that the parties who have the power to fill the vacancy in that office do so with due haste so as to minimize the liabilities by this situation.”