NILES — City council tonight is likely to appoint Niles 1st Ward Councilman Doug Sollitto to the at-Large seat left vacant by the resignation of Stephen Papalas.

Papalas was appointed to council in August 2022 to fill the position left by the death of James DePasquale. Papalas announced his resignation, effective Sept. 1, at council’s last meeting.

As DePasquale was an independent candidate, it was up to Niles council to appoint a replacement for both him, and now, Papalas.

On Aug. 31, Niles posted a notice requesting that anyone interested in applying for the seat vacated by Papalas submit a letter of intent to the city by the afternoon of Sept. 1.

As of Tuesday morning, Sollitto was the only individual who had sent a letter of interest.

Sollitto was one of three candidates who is still running for three open at-Large council seats in the Nov. 7 election. Michael Lastic and Jimmy Julian, both currently at-Large members of the council, are running to retain their seats. Sollitto filed for the seat that would have become available when Papalas’ term expired at the end of the year.

As Sollitto already was set to be on the ballot for the position this fall, council President Robert Marino Jr. said he would be a logical choice potentially to fill Papalas’ void.

“He won the primary and is the candidate on the ballot; there’s no other candidates running,” Marino said. “It’s a fair analysis that he would be the logical choice to fill that unexpired term.”

Marino said that assuming Sollitto is appointed to the at-Large position, the appointment for Sollitto’s replacement in the first ward would be handled by the Trumbull County Democratic Party.

Mark Alberini, chairman of the Trumbull County Democratic Party, said the precinct committee people of the Niles First Ward would be tasked with selecting and voting for a replacement for Sollitto. The precinct committee representatives are Robert Leonard, Niles 1-C; James Costello, Niles 1-D; and Sollitto, Niles 1-A.

“Those three precinct committee people representing Niles Ward 1 would vote on the replacement for, if it is Niles, 1-A, let’s say, Doug Sollitto,” Alberini said.

Alberini said if Sollitto is appointed to the at-Large position, it would become a procedural matter then for the Democratic party.

Much like how the city seems to have replaced Papalas quickly, Alberini said the Trumbull Democratic Party would not waste time if they have to find a replacement for Sollitto in the first ward.

“Our intent is to do it in a very timely manner,” Alberini said.

Council is set to appoint the new member to council at-Large at 5:45 p.m. today. The regular meeting will follow at 6 p.m.