WARREN — Trumbull County commissioners were bombarded Tuesday with requests for more money as several departments and agencies noted they will not be able to finish the year with the budgets they were given.

Members of the Trumbull County Board of Elections during a special meeting of the board as part of the commissioners weekly workshop argued they need more than the $1.6 million the commissioners approved for its 2025 budget if they are going to be able to hold the general election in November. Earlier this year, the BOE requested $2,071,242.

Trumbull County MetroParks Director ZacharySvette asked commissioners to provide $65,000 within the next month to keep the county’s parks open. During the county’s budget process, the Metroparks board requested a $130,000 budget. It was provided $65,000 and was told the board would reconsider more later.

Bill Danso from the Trumbull County Prosecutor’s Office argued that an expected $300,000 savings to be provided to the public defender’s office (because of a change in how the office is funded) should be redirected to the prosecutor’s office.

Toward the end of the workshop, Trumbull County Recorder Dawn Zinni said she likely will be coming back to the commissioners seeking up to $100,000 to fill a budget hole in her department’s budget.

BOARD OF ELECTIONS

Board of Elections chairman Mark Alberini said its annual fixed budget is $1,749,742.

“We can’t fund two elections in Trumbull County, just based on those fixed costs,” Alberini said.

Variable costs of the board of elections is $321,500, but Danso said there is some fluctuation.

“Adding the fixed and variable costs together virtually equals the $2 million we requested,” Alberini noted. “We will be short $257,103 out of the $1.6 million.”

He noted the elections board received a $209,000 grant that was used to pay poll workers during the primary election, as well as other costs.

“We are trying to avoid repeatedly coming back to commissioners or to the auditor to request additional funds,” Alberini said. “We understand we (the county) are in a tough financial situation.”

He noted the board has continually worked to reduce spending.

“We are doing everything we can to be good stewards of taxpayer money,” Alberini said. “We are right where we should be.”

Commissioner Rick Hernandez responded that the commissioners need to meet with the county’s budget commission to determine how much may be available to spread across the county offices that each believe they need more than what was budgeted to them.

Commissioner Denny Malloy said every department wished they could have a couple hundred thousand dollars more.

Malloy again argued other counties have held two elections for less money.

PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE

Danso suggested money that previously was allocated for the public defender’s office should be directed to the prosecutor’s office.

Last month, the commissioners learned the state will be providing the public defender’s office 88% of its annual costs. The county is expecting the savings from not having to provide that percentage from the general fund will be about $300,000.

Malloy suggested the projected savings should be reallocated to the county’s general fund and then discussions held to determine how best to use the funds.

“We’re going to get other requests,” he said. “In fairness, we ought to have a mid-year review, and hear from the other department heads to determine where they are and what they have done to save on the budget over the last six months.”

“To move money, just because it was in some related type of thing, I don’t think it is fair,” Malloy said. “We need to listen to all of the requests and prioritize the biggest need.”

Commissioner Tony Bernard said he also would like the funds to move from the public defender’s office to the prosecutors’ office.

“We talked about it about a month ago that the state of Ohio gave more money to the public defender’s office, but did not provide more money to the prosecutor’s office,” Bernard said. “Why not take the money from them and put it in the prosecutors’ office. They need the money.”

Malloy said Sheriff Mike Wilson also requested using some of the money.

“We know he (the sheriff) is going to run out of money before the end of the year,” Malloy said.

Hernandez said the prosecutor’s office has been working closely with the commissioners.

“I, personally, would feel it is coming from an entity that funds a similar type of work,” he said. “We can allocate some additional money to other departments. This is not showing favoritism.”

Danso said the sheriff’s department has received additional allocations.

“I don’t understand why there is some resistance,” Danso said. “I’m not sure of what has been looked at and what has not.”

Danso said the public defender’s office has been able to hire three additional staff and they have been given 12 to 15% raises.

“In our county courts, we have one 32-hour a week employee for two county courts,” he said. “There is a position we have not been able to replace.”

He said the money was for the justice system. “Where are the suggested cuts?” Danso asked. “We were trying to cut our budgets to save the county as much money as possible.”

He noted that at some point, cuts will come with a reduction in services.

“The people in this county don’t like to pay additional money, but they also would like to have a prosecutor’s staff that can keep people in prison that we put in prison, perform our duties in court and prosecute people that need to be prosecuted.”

Danso noted at some point the county will not be able to provide all of the services and continue cutting the budget.

“There will be some cuts,” he said. “There will be some service reductions.”

Danso said the commissioners should be looking at the mandated services of each department.

Bernard said he is ready to provide the prosecutor’s office money from the county’s rainy day funds.

METROPARKS

Randy Fabrizio of the Trumbull County MetroParks board said their $65,000 request will allow the metroparks to continue to operate through the remainder of the year.

“This will be used for operation of the parks only, not for any expenses dealing with the removal of the Leavittsburg dam,” Fabrizio said.

Hernandez said he does not have an issue with providing the $65,000.

“We have 25 townships in Trumbull County, including the cities and villages, and metroparks are part of all those areas,” he said. “We can’t defund a service that the commissioners started years ago. I believe we need to fund them.”

Metroparks board member Kurt Sauer said they can operate the parks for another 30 to 60 days if the county does not provide the additional funds.

Malloy said Svette cut his hours to four days a week to cut expenses. He questioned if the parks could continue to operate with less money with the cutbacks already taken.

Fabrizio said the legal expenses in connection with the dam’s lawsuit are being paid for through the grant it received for the removal of the dam, not from its operating budget.

Bernard agreed they should provide funds to the park’s operations, but added both sides should get on track on solving the issues in connection with the dam’s demolition.

“We can settle this out of court,” Malloy said.