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WARREN -- Three top candidates for the Trumbull County 911 director post were interviewed last week by the majority of the board of commissioners.
One candidate will have to return for a second interview with Commissioner Niki Frenchko because the interview time scheduled for last Monday conflicted with another obligation she had scheduled.
Commissioners interviewed Joleen M. Clelland, a dispatch coordinator / communications manager for the Ravenna Police Department; Tacy Bond, a 911 coordinator with the Huron County Emergency Management; and Eric Tobin, a director and partner with Northeast Ohio Communications in Howland.
It is Tobin who will have to reschedule a time to interview with Frenchko.
Trumbull County has been looking for a new 911 director for approximately 2 1/2 years.
Two rounds of job postings have taken place. There were 65 applicants in the first round and 46 applicants in the second. Some of the first round of applicants also applied in the second round.
From the most recent round of candidates, a panel consisting of interim 911 director Patty Goldner, Trumbull County Sheriff Paul Monroe, Howland fire Chief James Pantalone, Emergency Management Agency Executive John Hickey and Trumbull's Human Resources Director Alexandra Devengencie-Bush interviewed eight people for the position.
The panel looked at a variety of qualifications, including whether candidates had a college degree; whether they had at least two years in some type of public safety role; their management experience; and experience in developing a budget.
Of the eight candidates, only Clelland, Bond and Tobin received scores of 62 or higher. The other candidates had scores in the mid-50s or below.
ABOUT 911
Trumbull County 911 has 23 dispatchers, including four recent hires. The department has an operational capacity of 30 employees.
It recently lost its operations manager. County officials want the new 911 director to choose the next operations manager.
The person hired will manage the county's dispatch center, coordinate with other public service answering points, develop standard operations policies, set and monitor goals and objectives and act as a liaison with elected officials and other agencies.
The new director will earn a salary of $67,044 to $99,479, based upon experience and qualifications.
ERIC TOBIN
Tobin, a Lordstown resident, in his application described himself as a creative, results-driven leader with experience in all aspects of employee and process management. He has managed an annual budget of $33.6 million at a Fortune 50 company.
At Northeast Ohio Communications, where Tobin worked from 2004 to 2022, he managed a 17-seat service and sales facility that served clients in the green energy and telecommunication sectors.
TACY BOND
Bond, a 911 coordinator in Norwalk, is one of 37 people in Ohio who possesses an Emergency Number Professional certification. ENP means someone who demonstrates a mastery of the comprehensive knowledge base required for emergency number program management.
"I am the first 911 coordinator for Huron County," Bond wrote. "I successfully lobbied for a property levy to improve 911 and emergency services."
"Those funds led to the implementation of the following large scale projects: new 911 system including text to 911, a new five-site … radio infrastructure, a new countywide Eventide recording system, and the installation of eight Harris Symphony dispatch consoles."
Bond noted she has experience leading the day-to-day operation of a Public Safety Answering Point.
Bond does not have a bachelor's degree, but has two decades of job-related experience.
JOLEEN CLELLAND
Clelland states she has more than 15 years managing and leading communications staff on every level.
"My priority is to guarantee that each staff understands and values the role they are each given," she wrote in her application. "While looking into options for upgrading our countywide 911 system, I worked closely with the state 911 office and the attorney general's office to receive approval for the first 'initial answering point relay' in the state of Ohio."
She also has worked to address budgeting concerns in the county, she stated.