GIRARD — Four candidates are seeking to fill three council-at-large seats on city council and two candidates are seeking to fill the 2nd Ward seat.
Candidates for the council-at-large seat are Democrats Tod Latell, Lily Martuccio and Wes Steiner and independent and write-in candidate Mike Costarella.
Martuccio is the lone incumbent for council at-large as John Moliterno was elected to the 3rd Ward seat and Sam Zirafi chose not to seek re-election.
For the 2nd Ward seat are Democrat James Clark and Republican Dan Camuso. The seat became open after councilman Jeff Kay chose not to seek re-election.
COSTARELLA
Costarella, who served from 2006-10 as a councilman-at-large, said he became involved with politics when Girard was in fiscal emergency.
He said being on council at that time taught him how to run a city without having money and how to watch spending. Costarella said he will watch finances and see that spending is done properly, and seek grants to help the city save money where possible.
Costarella said he will work to seek grants for police and fire departments to help those departments where needed as well as ways to attract more staffing.
“It is important to keep city safety services top-notch while being mindful of the budget,” he said.
He said when he first came on council, the ambulance service was run at the fire department and he wants to see the service run itself.
Costarella said funds must be available for service and maintenance of the ambulance and equipment.
Costarella said he was involved with the Girard City Schools property selection committee when looking for a new location for the high school, with a site on Churchill Road selected.
“I am a visionary when planning for the future,” he said, noting the experience on the committee will help council when looking at developing properties such as the former Ohio Leatherworks and the Lower Lake dam property.
He said he will work with the administration in planning for responsible use of such properties.
Costarella said community development is a goal of his, with council needing to look at opportunities for development in the city, such as the bike trail, park property and Wellman Theater.
“There are a lot of downtown areas open. We need to hold discussions and plan for attracting businesses to the city’s downtown,” he said.
LATELL
Latell, who was elected to two terms as Trumbull County recorder from January 2017 to December 2024, said he will work with city officials and council to promote growth.
“I have been attending council meetings since the beginning of the year, and I believe we have some great opportunities to improve our downtown area and other locations across the city,” he said.
Latell said he will seek out grant opportunities and network with other city councilmen across the county and the state.
He said council members need to have a clear understanding of the budget.
“Our auditor and city officials have done well as the city appears to be in good financial standing. Transparency on the budget is paramount, as taxpayer money and available funds in general should be handled with care,” Latell said.
He said as county recorder, he ran a tight budget and left the recorder’s office in great standing.
Latell said the county as a whole is struggling financially right now, with sales tax increases and / or layoffs looming.
“We do not want to see that happen in Girard now or anytime in the future,” Latell said.
He said it is important to listen to residents.
Latell said Girard was able to bring several great services to county residents when he was recorder by networking with elected officials locally and across the state.
“I believe when we have a strong school system, provide great police / fire and safety services in general, and residents feel city leadership is engaged and working for the benefit of all, success will happen,” Latell said.
He said he hopes this may even provide more opportunity for the city’s children to stay local instead of having to leave the area to make a living.
MARTUCCIO
Martuccio, who has served eight years on council as a councilwoman-at-large, said as chairwoman of the Wellman Theater committee she will continue to pursue needed improvements and renovations to restore the theater for future use.
Martuccio said she has focused on downtown revitalization in the city, noting the theater would play an important part in attracting people and other businesses with development of the downtown business district.
Martuccio said the bikeway within the city is a big concern. She said in the late 1990s and early 2000s, she worked with Julie Green of the Trumbull Planning Commission to have a bikeway within the city, but Girard went into fiscal emergency and the bikeway was delayed.
She said she wants to see the bikeway project revived as part of the Lake to River Greenway. She said the bikeway is on the former Ohio Leatherworks property off U.S. Route 422, which the city has acquired.
Martuccio said she wants to see the Leatherworks property become a more public area and more feasible for having a bikeway.
She said grants can be sought for the bikeway and the Leatherworks property,
“The needs of senior citizens have always been a priority of mine. I will see what their needs are and do what I can to assist them,” Martuccio said.
STEINER
Steiner is a first-time candidate for public office. He said as a surveyor with knowledge in zoning, he plans to bring a valuable skill set to city council to help update and improve the community.
He said zoning is essential for making sure that growth is planned well and remains sustainable for the future.
Steiner said he wants to collaborate with other cities (Cortland, Hubbard and Niles) in Trumbull County to secure Community Housing Impact and Preservation funds to help low-to-moderate homeowners in Girard update and repair mechanical or structural deficiencies in their homes.
He said he will also collaborate with Trumbull County to receive Community Development Block Grants, which can be used for important infrastructure improvements, including updating aging sewer and water lines throughout the city, but especially the Parkwood section.
Steiner said there is a need for better signage in the downtown, with residents and visitors becoming more aware of the available parking space behind Chase Bank, as well as behind and across the street from the U.S. Post Office.
“Better signage will help improve accessibility and convenience for everyone,” he said.
Steiner said he will collaborate with the Trumbull County Office of Economic Development to attract businesses to the vacant storefronts located along State Street, stretching from Interstate 80 to past Churchill Road and West Liberty Street in the downtown area. He said many storefronts have been vacant for years.
He said he will work with Lake to River Economic Development to help bring businesses to the area, which will help generate additional tax revenue for the city.
Steiner said as Girard continues to evolve into a more transient community, he believes it is important to focus on mentoring and youth engagement. He has served in many positions working with youth sports and activities.
Steiner said he is committed to advocating for programs and policies that empower young people in the community.
He said he will work with the parks department and the city schools to continue creating initiatives that promote education, personal growth, and job readiness training. Steiner said partnering with neighboring school districts and the Trumbull Career & Technical Center, the city can create opportunities for youth to gain valuable skills and prepare for the workforce.
2ND WARD SEAT
Clark also is seeking office for the first time. He said he comes from a family of civil servants, with his mother serving as city treasurer in East Liverpool and his grandmother serving as a councilwoman in East Palestine.
He said his work as an executive casino host taught him how to adapt, build trust quickly, and deliver results in high-pressure situations. Clark said as a local real estate professional, he helped organize community improvement projects across the Valley, and wants to bring that same energy and investment to Girard.
Clark said accountability in leadership will be a top priority. He said recent events in Girard, especially the problems with the school district’s finances, have shown how costly a lack of oversight can be.
“My top priority is to make sure those in leadership positions are accountable for their decisions and for how public money is handled,” Clark said.
He said as a casino executive, he often had to stand his ground, protect the best interests of the business and still convince high-level clients to choose them over the competition.
“I will bring that same approach to city council to protect residents and ensure their voices and tax dollars are safeguarded,” Clark said.
He said he will bring improvements into Girard by securing outside funding.
Clark said he will look at organizing and completing community improvement projects and seek grant programs and connect the right people to get projects done. He said he will see that Girard competes for funding dollars and for resources that can make a real difference in the community.
Clark said collaboration and inclusive leadership are Girard’s best ideas and he wants to empower community members with leadership abilities to step forward and take part in building solutions.
Clark said his background as a realtor has taught him the value of bringing people together, solving problems and finding common ground.
“I want to take the best of what I’ve learned elsewhere and apply it here in Girard to help our community thrive. I want Girard to be a place where families feel proud to live and where our kids will want to return after college to raise families of their own,” he said.
CAMUSO
Camuso did not return a Tribune Chronicle questionnaire and did return several calls seeking comment.
