VIENNA — The race for the two open Vienna trustee seats has dropped to two registered individuals and one write-in.

Sean Stimac, a resident and member of the township’s fiscal commission, announced his intention to withdraw his candidacy for the position, according to a post Monday via social media.

In the post, Stimac expressed belief that he brought valuable strengths to the table but said he realized that they were best applied in support roles for the community. He used the fiscal commission as an example, a position he intends to continue with to ensure the township’s finances stay on track.

“I love this township and genuinely want to see it restored to normal,” Stimac wrote. “I’ll continue working in the background to help make that happen, doing my part to support good governance and fiscal responsibility.

“I wish Mike (Haddle) and Kim (Ellis) the very best of luck and thank everyone who has supported me along the way.”

Stephanie Penrose, director of the Trumbull County Board of Elections, said Tuesday that she heard Stimac had posted his withdrawal on social media. But he hasn’t formally contacted the board, so he is still considered a candidate, she added.

“He can put it on social media, but I can’t even put a notice that he’s not running until we have something from him.”

The board of elections website shows Stimac as a candidate as of Wednesday afternoon.

With Stimac’s withdrawal, the race for the two open seats will be left to Haddle and Ellis. A third township resident, Scott Wiseman, is on the board of elections website as a write-in candidate, but a phone number or email for him could not be found through the filings.

HADDLE

Haddle was appointed as trustee in May 2024, following the resignation of Robert Root, who resigned in April of that year citing the stress from the township’s financial crisis.

Before that, however, he held a position on the zoning board and served in the Marine Corps for 13 years.

Haddle said in his candidate questionnaire that he hopes to continue to “focus and refine” the township’s long-term financial stability, which starts with ensuring that all departments are funded, budgeted and supervised adequately.

Haddle wrote that he also wants to focus on restoring residents’ trust and confidence, noting that the financial situation created a “great wound” in the township.

Haddle said he would like to look for ways to improve the township’s partnerships with local businesses to generate economic development in the area.

“Vienna has been supported and blessed by many of the local businesses during this crisis; Businesses have helped, from accepting later-than-desired payments for services, donating services and material support to financial support,” Haddle wrote. “We honor this by not only getting out of fiscal emergency with as little as possible undue burden, but by generating more opportunities for these businesses to grow and for others to locate to Vienna Township.”

ELLIS

Ellis was among the applicants to the position that opened with Root’s resignation.

A 1978 Mathews High School graduate who worked at Trumbull Memorial / Insight Trumbull for 30 years as a nurse until being furloughed, Ellis emphasized her strive to separate needs from wants in her candidate questionnaire.

In terms of what her main priorities were, Ellis wrote that she hopes to protect township funds by following the Ohio Revised Code, which allows trustees to request copies of the township’s records — and more often if they deem it to be necessary, under the state’s Public Records Act.

Ellis wrote that she would also like to prioritize the police and fire departments’ stated needs to replace or upgrade a police cruiser and EMS vehicle.