Trumbull County Commissioner Frenchko, staff clash

Disagreement causes some workers to walk away from their desks

WARREN -- Harsh disagreement among Commissioner Niki Frenchko and members of the commissioners' office staff escalated Tuesday as Frenchko repeatedly asked staff members to provide her with printed copies of digital documents emailed to her, all while she video recorded employees with her cellphone.

The nearly daylong series of confrontations led several commissioner employees to walk away from their desks Tuesday before returning to the office conference room to discuss events of the day.

Trumbull County Human Resources Director Alexandra DeVengencie-Bush advised office staff if Frenchko's actions made them feel unsafe, they could leave.

Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa told workers to take a walk but to return to work.

During subsequent discussions about the day's occurrences, Frenchko and Cantalamessa entered the conference room.

Frenchko, again while recording the interactions likely to be posted on her social media page, repeatedly requested that staff members print hard copies of information needed for today's meeting, including supporting documents.

As Frenchko recorded the employees, Shara Taylor, Trumbull County commissioners accounts payable clerk, reciprocated by also recording the commissioner on her cellphone.

Richard Round, union representative of AFSCME Local 2493, told Frenchko some of her requests of the clerks are not in their job descriptions. DeVengencie-Bush agreed.

Earlier in the day, Frenchko, with phone in hand, entered the latter portion of the commissioners' workshop meeting, asking for copies of the next day's agenda from interim clerk Lisa DeNunzio Blair.

Frenchko did not participate in the workshop meeting. Rather, the commissioner simply began video recording Blair declining to provide hard copies of paperwork she requested.

Blair, as well as Commissioners Denny Malloy and Cantalamessa, responded to Frenchko that all the material she was seeking had been sent to her via email, just as it had been emailed to her fellow commissioners.

Frenchko insisted not all information was in the emails, including material sent to the commissioners office from the Trumbull County Engineer's Office, and material from the Trumbull County Board of Elections.

Board of elections Executive Director Stephanie Penrose provided the commissioners copies of two bids for the paper ballots for the 2023 general election through the 2025 primary election. Frenchko said she did not receive Penrose's material from the office staff until she requested it later that afternoon.

Penrose personally provided the bid materials to the commissioners during the workshop meeting prior to Frenchko's arrival.

Although it did not provide the lowest bid, Penrose recommended awarding the contract to Integrated Voting Systems Inc., which the county used previously.

Frenchko stated she wants printed copies of agenda items because it is difficult for her to connect all of the supporting emails commissioners receive for particular agenda items.

Cantalamessa, who receives the same email documents from the staff, repeatedly explained she has all the information that he and Malloy received.

Cantalamessa repeatedly asked Frenchko why she could not print the information herself, instead of asking the board's short-handed office workers to do the work for her.

Before the end of the commissioners workshop, Frenchko left the room and was video recorded searching Blair's desk.

"Last week, I was told if I came to the commissioners workshop, I would be able to obtain all of the documents before our Wednesday meeting," she said. "Well, I came to the meeting to ask for the documents."

DeVengencie-Bush said county employees deserve to have safe work environments and should not have to be concerned about their supervisors rifling through their desk drawers, searching through their personal items.

She said one staff member called the Trumbull County Sheriff's and Prosecutor's offices. Although a sheriff's deputy went to the office area, no action was taken.

As the human resources director, DeVengencie-Bush emphasized she will fight for the rights of employees.

"I am not political," she said. "It is about right and wrong."