Rimedio-Righetti ‘ready’ for third term

November 7, 2018 at 12:02a.m.

By JUSTIN DENNIS

YOUNGSTOWN

Voters approved incumbent Democratic Mahoning County Commissioner Carol Rimedio-Righetti for a third term Tuesday.

Rimedio-Righetti won 59 percent to her challenger Rick Barron’s 41 percent.

“I feel people in Mahoning County know that I’m doing a good job for them, and they put me back in office,” she said. “I’m excited. I’m ready to go at it for another four years.”

Rimedio-Righetti said she’s looking forward to finishing several projects still in progress from the previous term, such as working with Steward Health to turn the shuttered Northside Regional Medical Center into transitional housing for veterans, turning the former Youngstown Developmental Center in Mineral Ridge into a community center and further county courthouse renovations.

During her campaign, Rimedio-Righetti said she would also prioritize reducing operational costs to offset the loss of the Medicaid-managed care sales tax.

“There’s a lot going on in Mahoning County,” she said.

“[Commissioners Anthony Traficanti, David Ditzler] and myself are really working very hard for our people. It’s a continued effort.”

Barron, of North Lima, a marble mason and tile layer, said his campaign had “a great run” and he offered congratulations to Rimedio-Righetti.

“We had a lot of fun this year. We got to meet a lot of great people and get our point across,” he said. “I don’t know if a Republican has ever won 41 percent of the vote in Mahoning County for commissioner. I was thrilled to have such a strong showing as a nonpolitician.”

During his campaign, Barron said he sought to “streamline” county government and consolidate its buildings, and “get the commissioners’ spending under control.”