YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County Recorder Noralynn Palermo says she prides herself on running an office and cultivating a reputation built on efficiency, transparency and service.

“I’m all about transparency,” said Palermo, who has held the office since 2007 and is running in Tuesday’s general election against Republican Brian Devine of Canfield. “I think it’s part of my job to save money and look out for the best for the county.”

To that end, Palermo, a 1971 Ursuline High School graduate, said she’s saved the county’s general fund more than $1.5 million via cutting back on staff, including not replacing herself when she had previously been an administrative assistant. Palermo served in that capacity about 16 years.

Another cost-saving move she helped oversee came in June 2019, when a new, state-of-the-art internet system was set up in the Mahoning County Courthouse. The system has a program that will make it easier for Palermo and her employees to redact Social Security numbers from numerous volumes of tax liens, oil-and-gas leases and other documents dating to 2009, she explained.

Palermo has 46 years’ worth of experience in the office that also includes as deputy recorder. She said if re-elected Tuesday, she hopes to save the county more than $2 million during her next four-year term, which, she says, may be her last.

Palermo also touted two additional free services her office provides: veteran document identification cards and a Property Fraud Alert program.

The cards, known as DD214s, contain veterans’ names, serial numbers and length of service as well as when and where they served. The documents also allow the servicemen and women to receive certain discounts, Palermo noted.

The fraud alert effort allows county residents to receive warnings if someone tries to illegally use their properties for financial gain, most commonly by recording a phony document to make it appear the person perpetrating the fraud owns the home or property.

NEWCOMER

Palermo’s challenger is Republican political newcomer Brian Devine, 51, of Canfield, a commercial-risk adviser and life insurance specialist with The Agent Insurance Services in Boardman.

Devine, who also spent about 20 years in the transportation industry, said he would bring to the recorder’s office strong management and problem-solving skills, as well as a willingness to listen to people’s views and opinions.

“I’m not afraid to ask questions, either,” he said. “If you don’t listen to what the other person tells you, you can’t relate. That’s how you find out what a goal is.”

Devine’s primary goals, if elected, are to look at and implement the strengths of what other Ohio counties comparable in size to Mahoning County are doing regarding day-to-day operations, technology and other improvements, then use those as templates for the recorder’s office, he explained.

To that end, Devine ran a trucking agency, which required keeping detailed logs, documents and records, another skill that would bode well as Mahoning County recorder, he continued.

“You’d rather go forward than backward,” Devine said, noting that also maintaining tight security regarding important documents is crucial.

In addition, Devine mentioned his volunteer work and desire to give back to the community. Those efforts include volunteering for the Berlin-Ellsworth Ruritan Club and the Animal Charity Humane Society in Boardman with his wife, Cristine.

Devine, who decided to enter the Mahoning County recorder’s race earlier this year, said his overall desire is to make a positive difference for the Mahoning Valley, which also includes further spotlighting the Animal Charity Humane Society, Beatitude House in Youngstown and other agencies dedicated to the betterment of the region.

Noralynn Palermo

AGE: 67

POLITICAL PARTY: Democrat

RESIDENCE: Youngstown

OCCUPATION: Mahoning County recorder since 2007

GOALS: Using new technology in place since mid-2019 to redact Social Security numbers on important documents, making transparency a high priority and continuing to provide timely customer service

QUOTE: “I’m all about transparency. I think it’s part of my job to save money and look for the best for the county.”

Brian Devine

AGE: 51

POLITICAL PARTY: Republican

RESIDENCE: Canfield

OCCUPATION: Commercial-risk adviser and life insurance specialist with The Agent Insurance Services.

GOALS: Look at strengths of other Ohio counties comparable in size to Mahoning County regarding day-to-day operations, technology and other improvements.

QUOTE: “You’d rather go forward than backward.”