The 2024 Ohio Primary Election is fast approaching and 21 News wants to make sure you're informed on all the issues and candidates. We've reached out to all candidates for Trumbull County Commissioner to hear what they plan to do for the county if they're elected.

Former Warren City Councilman John Brown is running as a Democratic candidate for Trumbull County Commissioner looking to take the seat of incumbent commissioner Niki Frenchko.

Brown tells 21 News he has an advantage over other candidates such as James Lapolla and Daniel Polivka since he's retired and does not work a full-time job, so he can work as a commissioner full time.

Brown says this would eliminate the need for a county administrator, which in turn could save residents money.

Brown went on to say another advantage he has is despite retiring, he still attends various meetings in various counties, so he has a rapport with plenty of officials in plenty of county communities.

Brown tells us he believes if the bickering at commissioners meetings stops, a lot more could get done and during his time in council, he's learned to work with a lot of people even if they didn't agree on everything.

Fellow Democratic Candidate James Lapolla echoed Brown's points about bickering preventing the county's current commissioners from getting anything done.

Lapolla is currently serving his third term as Howland Township Trustee and tells us during this time, the township has done well thanks to the trustees working together and he can apply that teamwork to the commissioners' office.

Lapolla responded to Brown's comment about working full time by stating that you can get just as much done being in the office two days a week as you can being there five  days a week and that it all comes down to how hard you work.

Lapolla added that he can easily get work done from his home office as well. 

Lapolla tells 21 News that he can apply his experience working as a doctor to his position in the county stating that when a doctor has two patients with different problems, those problems will be addressed equally and no patient will receiving preferential treatment.

The same can be applied in the county where all issues raised by residents are treated equally and no political party or cause is shown preferential treatment.  

Republican candidate Rick Hernandez is currently a trustee for Hubbard Township and is running in opposition to current Trumbull Commissioner Niki Frenchko.

Hernandez has been a trustee in Hubbard since 2017 and in that time worked to make the Hubbard Township Police Department financially stable and helped to turn the Joint Eagle Fire District from a volunteer fire department into a full time fire and EMT services.

He is also the owner of Hern Motors in Hubbard.

In 2022, Hernandez ran against Dennis Malloy and lost but garnered 30% of the vote.

Hernandez tells 21 news that he several priorities if elected to the position, which includes reuniting the Commissioner's Office, of which has suffered by infighting between the current commissioners. He also wants to get a new dog pound for the county and work with several entities like the Western Reserve Port Authority to bring in a commercial airliner for the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport.

Dan Polivka believes his extensive experience in city council and the county commission is what is needed to bring what he calls a broken Commissioner's Office together. 

Polivka got his start as a public servant back in the 80's when he was first elected as a Warren City Council Member at 20 years old, the youngest sitting councilmember for the city at that time. He served as a council member for 12 years and then as a councilman-at-large for four years.

In 2005, he was elected as a Trumbull County commissioner and served in that role for 16 years, until being defeated by current Commissioner Niki Frenchko.

If elected, his first priority will be to reunify the commissioner's office, increase economic development and being a watchdog for the taxpayer's money.

Incumbent Trumbull County Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa is running for reelection and broke his platform down into three sections: Economic Development, Infrastructure and Asset Improvement and Sales Tax.

Cantalamessa says the county must continue to work with its economic development partners such as the Western Reserve Port Authority and Eastgate Tourism Bureau to attract more businesses to the county.

Cantalamessa tells us partnerships like this are what led to economic developments like the Kimberly-Clark investment in Warren, as well as the Golden Triangle Collaborative.

When it comes to infrastructure improvements, one of the major points Cantalamessa discussed was expanded, affordable  high-speed broadband internet access describing high-speed internet as "the utility of the future."

Cantalamessa adds that this would be another way to attract new businesses to the county.

As for sales tax, Cantalamessa says Trumbull County has one of the lowest sales tax rates in Ohio at 6.75% and he wants it to stay that way. 

During his time as commissioner, Cantalamessa has rejected proposals of sales tax increases in the past.

Anthony Bernard tells 21 News he's running for commissioner after previously serving as commissioner for one term back in the 1970s. 

Bernard says he decided to get back into politics after seeing the current state of Trumbull County including the current state of commissioners meetings, which he describes as "chaos."

Bernard says as long as meetings are more arguments rather than trying to make the county a better place, no progress will be made in the county. Bernard went on to say the county has gotten worse each year for the past six years.

In terms of how to make the county better, Bernard echoed Cantalamessa's points about broadband internet access and infrastructure developments including water and sewer line work.

Bernard also mentioned necessary upgrades to the dog pound stating that the building is old and out of date and that it needs an updated facility.

Additionally, Bernard stated that the county 911 center needs more staff and equipment and that the county needs more grant writing opportunities.

21 News has reached out to incumbent commissioner Niki Frenchko for comment on her platform and goals, but she declined to comment over the phone but sent in statements on the issues.

Niki Frenchko says her main goals if reelected, are:

  1. Improving overall administration, management, fiscal controls and budget oversight to run the county more like an efficient business. Managing based on forethought and planning as opposed to crisis to reduce costs and provide services most efficiently.
  2. Increasing PRIVATE industry job opportunities; attracting private industry to create well-paying PRIVATE sector jobs by creating an improved business environment to draw nationally & internationally.
  3. Completing and moving along the final three OEPA Court ordered consent decree Sewer Projects in Newton, Warren & Hubbard Townships & extending needed services where appropriate in those areas

Frenchko said, "I am the ONLY candidate whose knowledge, education and experience is specific to the position. With a Masters Degree in Public Administration, work experience in the private sector working in government consulting and planning, and in real estate appraisal, sales & Construction oversight, and Army training, I have a better capability of understanding and implementing best practices & developing SOP's that have been missing."

"The local establishment needs snuffed out for Trumbull County to thrive. I represent the future; not the " this is how we've always done it- Status quo. We need officials who will put People over Politics & strive for change and improvement," Frenchko told 21 News.

21 News has also learned that one candidate on the ballot, Michele Garman has since dropped out of the race. Her name will still appear on the ballot, but voters will be notified that she has withdrawn.