Trending
WARREN -- The often-postponed hearing about whether the Trumbull County commissioners' clerk gets a permanent restraining order against one of her bosses is scheduled to take place via Zoom at 1 p.m. today.
Visiting Judge Patricia Cosgrove of Summit County informed court officials this week about the new date after the hearing was postponed the last two weeks because of winter weather hazards.
Cosgrove issued a temporary protection order against Commissioner Niki Frenchko on behalf of commissioners' clerk Paula Vivoda-Klotz on Jan. 7.
The hearing on a permanent order will have Cosgrove going to the Summit County courthouse and the two parties to their respective attorney offices to conduct business over the Zoom app. Court officials said a space will be made on the third floor of the Trumbull County courthouse to view the Zoom hearing.
After the Jan. 24 hearing postponement due to an attorney's scheduling conflict, Cosgrove amended the rules of the temporary order. The amended conditions allow the two to work together in the same office and communicate with each other for the official business of the county. The order includes that both parties must say at least 10 feet from the other at all times when in the commissioners' office.
Cosgrove was assigned to hear the case by the Ohio Supreme Court after the judges and magistrates in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court recused themselves from the case.
The hearing stems from a complaint lodged against Frenchko by Vivoda-Klotz. The early January incident involved Frenchko allegedly following Vivoda-Klotz into Vivoda-Klotz's office, closing the door behind them and locking it, according to a sheriff's report. There was video of the incident. On the video, Vivoda-Klotz is seen walking out of the office through a second door with Frenchko following her.
Frenchko, the lone Republican on the three-person board, has claimed this and other legal actions filed against her have been politically motivated by her two Democratic colleagues. Democratic commissioners Frank Fuda and Mauro Cantalamessa both have denied this allegation.
On Thursday, Fuda was named as defendant in a federal lawsuit filed by Vivoda-Klotz's predecessor, former clerk Paulette A. Godfrey of McDonald. In that legal action, Godfrey alleged that Fuda's harassment in the workplace led to her leaving the job last July.
gvogrin@tribtoday.com