43
A second round of interviews for Youngstown finance director will be in February or March
YOUNGSTOWN
A second round of interviews with the finalists for the city finance director’s job will be in February or March.
While there were four finalists interviewed for the job late last year, only three may come in for a second time, said Mayor Jamael Tito Brown.
That’s because The Vindicator reported Dec. 19, 2018, that one of the finalists – Harry A. Staven of Richland, Wash. – was fired as city administrator for Auburn, Mich., in July 2017, a month after he was hired, because complaints were filed about him making an inappropriate comment to a female worker.
“Since you did your background check, we’ll have to verify it,” Brown told The Vindicator. “We’ll give him an opportunity to explain it before a second interview or he may not want it any more.”
The three other finalists are:
Kyle Miasek, interim finance director since Brown took office in January 2019. Before that, he served as deputy finance director since 2006.
Mahoning County Treasurer Daniel R. Yemma, who’s had that job since 2011. Before Brown was mayor, he worked under Yemma as the county treasurer’s director of operations.
Peter M. Rancatore Jr., a former finance director for the city of Toledo.
The job pays $83,949 annually.
Brown said Michael Abouserhal, hired last week by the city as a financial consultant for up to $25,000 through June 30, will help him select the next finance director.
“He’s going to help us vet the people to do the job,” Brown said. “He’ll assist us.”
Abouserhal, a CPA and former Ohio Lottery Commission executive director, was paid $25,000 by the city last year to evaluate its finances, both this year and long term.
He will do the same this year in addition to providing advice on what the city will do regarding the possibility of having to pay about $5.5 million from its general fund for money that may have been improperly spent from its water, wastewater and sanitary funds for economic development.
Brown doesn’t have a deadline for hiring a finance director.
The city saved about $125,000 last year in salary and benefits by having Miasek serve as interim finance director and not having someone fill the position of deputy finance director.
Brown said he wants to have a finance director and deputy director.