WARREN — Outgoing Trumbull County Sheriff Paul Monroe did not send a representative to the commissioners’ second day of annual budget hearing Tuesday to discuss the financial needs of his department for 2025.

Sheriff-elect Mike Wilson and Mark Manning, who has been hired to be the sheriff-elect’s chief finance officer, attended the meeting to hear what the outgoing administration wanted for the office.

Wilson and Manning already had been meeting with Auditor Martha Yoder and her staff, as well as county officials to discuss what issues they would be facing in the new year.

Wilson, commissioners-elect Tony Bernard and Rick Hernandez, as well as Commissioner Denny Malloy expressed disappointment that no one from the sheriff’s office attended the annual budget meeting.

“They are still obligated to work until the end of the year,” Wilson noted.

Yoder and Christy Sostaric, who works in the auditor’s office, promised to work with them in developing a proposed budget after the first of the year that may be turned over to the commissioners to consider funding.

There was a proposed 2025 sheriff’s budget located on the county’s budgetary software system. In that document, it appears the sheriff is requesting an approximately $20.8 million budget from the county’s general fund. The sheriff was provided $17.2 million for 2024.

Earlier this month, the commissioners delayed a vote on a $2.2 million request from the sheriff’s office that would allow it to pay employees through the end of the year.

Commissioners decided not to vote on the request after Yoder suggested the department only needed about $1.6 million.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Malloy told Yoder the resolution presented to the commissioners should be no more than what is required to complete the year’s payroll.

“I don’t want any extra meat on that bone,” he said.

METROPARKS

Trumbull MetroParks’ Zachary Svette asked the county to provide $136,381 in 2025, which is the same amount it received this year. Svette expressed appreciation to the county for the increase the MetroParks received this year, which was used to hire a part-time employee. The new hire left the position in October after finding a higher paying position.

Svette plans to fill the position in 2025.

He said the MetroParks board brought in several grants in 2024 that helped pay for projects.

He also said the MetroParks board is in the final phases of acquiring two parcels of property that will allow it to complete its portion of the Lake to River bike trail.

Malloy questioned why the park board seeks to purchase additional land when it doesn’t have the resources to provide maintenance.

“This is the completion of a project (bike trial) that started nearly 20 years ago,” John Brown, a member of the MetroParks board responded. “The (maintenance) costs are not that much.”

Malloy then questioned how much time Svette has been spending on the Leavittsburg Dam removal project. He suggested the time being spent on this controversial project could have been used on maintaining the various parks and hunting areas the Metroparks are in charge of maintaining.

Svette noted he has not spent more than three to four hours per week, but suggested it has taken more time in the last several weeks because of the controversy between the Metroparks board and Warren Township residents and trustees who are against the dam removal.

“I expect the number of hours to drop back down after the beginning of the year,” Svette said.

Malloy told the new commissioners the Metroparks board requested more information from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency on whether state funding marked for the demolition can be used for an alternate plan that would not involve the dam’s demolition. They are expected to meet again Dec. 19 to discuss any new information.

“The board has the right to do what they want,” Malloy said. “We (Commissioners) will decide what we may want to do.”

Malloy noted one option the commissioners could do is not fund the Metroparks board. However, he noted, they do not know what responsibility the county would have in repaying the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for the grant money the Metroparks board spent on the dam project.

COURT REQUESTS

Trumbull County Probate Court Judge Jame Fredericka noted his court is not asking for much more in 2025 than it received in 2024, with most increases the result of union contract mandated raises and increased health care costs that every county employee is having to pay.

He is seeking to address the pay and longevity scale of one of his court employees.

The judge noted he wants to work with the commissioners in getting a third-floor court in the Stone Building reopened, so his three magistrates and a visiting judge can use that courtroom. They are alternately using the probate judge’s courtroom on the first floor, as well as using their own cubicle spaces.

The courtroom in the Stone Building would require work on the judge’s bench, in the court’s gallery, as well as some painting and the replacement of carpeting.

The county has used some American Rescue Plan funds to repair the Stone Building roof, as well as doing other projects.

“How often would the court be used,” Malloy asked.

“Every day,” Fredericka responded.

CORONER’S REQUEST

Trumbull County Coroner Dr. Lawrence D’Amico invited the two commissioner-elects to come to his office, so they can see the conditions under which his staff is working.

Malloy described the condition of D’Amico and forensic pathologist Dr. George Sterbenz’s working spaces as deplorable and something the commissioners must address immediately. Work on the coroner’s new home will begin soon. A new home for the coroner is expected to cost somewhere between $1.5 million and $2 million.

Options include moving into the former county health district headquarters, 176 Chestnut St. NE, in Warren, the current home of the county’s health department in Cortland, the Emergency Management Agency in Warren, or building a brand new facility on property belonging to the county engineer.

After repeatedly being questioned by Malloy, D’Amico suggested it would make the most financial sense to build a new single-story building. However, he added, he would be willing to move wherever makes the most sense for the county.

Bernard questioned why the county’s ARP funds were used for this project.

Malloy said about $20 million of the county’s $38 million was already allocated before he took office.

“We did not know about the coroner’s needs at the time,” Malloy said. “No one knew what Trumbull Regional Medical Center would be doing.”

911 CENTER

Trumbull County 911 Director Tacy McDonough said she is budgeting for seven new dispatchers. She expects to hire three dispatchers and two supervisors within the next two months.

The 911 Center has 19 dispatchers. The center wants to have at least 30 dispatchers.

With that level of dispatchers, McDonough expects to significantly reduce the amount of overtime being paid in that department.

“We have had some dispatchers working an average of 65 hours per week due to mandatory overtime,” Malloy explained.

Dispatchers worked 12-hour days and they would be told they have to work an extra four hours at the end of their shifts.

McDonough said the department’s furniture is falling apart and some of their computers are between five and 10 years old. Once the commissioners decide where to place a new 911 Center in 2025, then they will have to determine how to pay for it.

DOG WARDEN

Trumbull Dog Warden Michelle Goss is not seeking a significant increase in her budget, but noted that the long expected building of a new dog pound may cost nearly $4 million.

The county purchased the land where the new pound will be placed earlier this year from the Animal Welfare League. A nonprofit organization called Voices of Trumbull County Dogs is expected to sponsor a capital campaign to help raise money for the building of the dog pound.

Yoder, not in her capacity as the auditor, said having a nonprofit raise the money will allow potential contributors to deduct their contributions on next year’s taxes.

Goss expects to submit the architectural drawings to the next commissioner board to determine what they want to do in the building of the new facility.

“You can determine whether you want to use this proposal or something smaller,” Goss said.

Bernard said the county has needed to build a new dog pound since he was commissioner in the 1970s. Hernandez also noted his strong support of building a dog pound.