WARREN — The decision to seek an administrator for Trumbull County who would double as purchasing coordinator is in line with another similar-sized county and will be essential to making the most out of the county’s budget, commissioners said.

Making the hire would combine two of the 19 suggestions made to commissioners by the Trumbull County Citizen Budget Review Committee, a volunteer board tapped to look over the county’s budget and make recommendations on how to save or generate money.

The committee relied on comparisons with Lake County as they researched their recommendations, according to their meeting minutes. The chair of the committee, Mike Matas, is the budget director in Lake County, but a resident of Trumbull County.

The Lake County administrator, Jason Boyd, said he is paid $98,822, and is provided a vehicle. General fund expenditures in Lake County total about $54.7 million a year, Boyd said. The population in Lake County is about 230,000.

The budget in Trumbull County is about $45 million and the population is about 210,000.

Commissioners in Lake and Trumbull counties earn the same amount — two earn $84,866 a year and the other $76,976 annually, set by the state and based on the population of the counties. Commissioners in both counties are considered full time. Ohio law does not distinguish between full- and part-time commissioners.

Trumbull County Commissioner Frank Fuda said he is open to the idea of an administrator because in the 11 years the county has been without one, the commissioners could have accomplished more.

But, Fuda said, among his concerns are the county’s three part-time administrators — James Misocky, special projects coordinator, commissioners’ clerk Paulette Godfrey and director of human resources Rich Jackson — and how their roles would be defined moving forward.

Commissioners Mauro Cantalamessa and Dan Polivka said Misocky, Godfrey and Jackson really aren’t administrators, and the county has been getting by without one, possibly to its detriment.

The county hasn’t had a full time administrator since Anthony Carson quit the position in 2006 after serving for two years in the role, which was combined with purchasing director. He was earning about $61,000 for both positions. Before Carson, Roselyn Ferris was a dual clerk and administrator, earning $71,081 a year after 39 years with the county.

Polivka said having the administrator was useful because he met with the department heads weekly and coordinated between commissioners to help make decisions faster. The position wasn’t filled because the county was struggling to save $1.2 million a year, he said. Since that decision, Polivka said, the budget review committee’s recommendations have convinced him that hiring someone to oversee purchasing and administration will lead to savings for the county.

Cantalamessa said the move will “streamline” county activities and ensure the commissioners’ vision for the county is being carried out in a timely fashion.

The citizen committee reported hiring an administrator “should include a return on investment that far exceeds the cost of the position” and a purchasing director, “if a competent professional” would “pay for themselves in potential pricing and other procurement savings.”

A job description and salary range are being developed for the administrator’s position.

rfox@tribtoday.com