CAMPBELL — Residents have many choices on Tuesday’s ballot and much to decide.

This year’s election asks voters in the city to choose their mayor, law director and multiple city council candidates, though only two council races are contested.

Mayor Bryan Tedesco died suddenly in April, and the city charter called upon Council President George Levendis to step into the role. Levendis is not seeking re-election to the office and is running unopposed to return to his seat at the head of city council.

Instead, two newcomers are vying for the city’s top job.

BILL VALENTINO

Bill Valentino said he wants to follow in his old friend’s footsteps.

“Bryan Tedesco was my buddy, I did everything with him,” he said.

From hoisting flags and banners to collecting garbage and mowing lawns, Tedesco was known for rolling up his sleeves and serving his community. Valentino said he will do the job the same way, if elected.

“I said there’s no way I’d ever want to be mayor of Campbell,” Valentino said. “But it’s something I’ve got to do, and I think he’d want me to follow in his footsteps. I think I’m the one who knew him inside and out.”

A member of the Campbell school board for 10 years, and now an employee of the parks department, Valentino said he will do whatever needs done.

He said he knows the city’s priorities — brownfield remediation, bringing in a grocery store and keeping residents in town — and he knows much of it will be an uphill battle.

He said he sees a city with many obstacles to its goals and the short term answer is to work within Campbell’s means and do what can be done now.

“We need to do better with what we have and maybe we’ll open somebody’s eyes,” he said.

He said making improvements with zoning enforcement and cleaning up the city can improve Campbell’s chances to attract new businesses and give high school graduates a reason to stay at home.

JOE MAZZOCCO

Sitting Council President Joe Mazzocco said he saw the city making progress before Tedesco’s death and he wants to keep that ball rolling.

“We need to get the brownfield developed, get good paying jobs in here, clean up the city, bring people back into the city,” he said.

He sees the highway access near the former Youngstown Sheet and Tube site as a selling point and said he’s eager to have conversations with anyone who would give Campbell a look.

“Why not us? Everybody else gets stuff, why can’t Campbell?” he said. “I’m gonna fight for our city to get it. We’ll reach out to anybody and everybody.”

He said he believes the city’s safety forces are another asset.

“Our cops are being proactive and it really helps us. You should feel safe in our city,” he said.

He agrees with Valentino that stronger zoning enforcement would help, but it requires a heavier hand and a willingness to work with people. While removing blight is a good tool, he said he doesn’t want to sacrifice more of the city than necessary.

“If there’s a house that can be rehabilitated, give people a year to rehab them,” he said. “If it can be saved, I’d rather see that. Then you can have good people living there to help beautify the neighborhood.”

He said he won’t take a wait-and-see approach to the grocery store question.

“I’m still gonna reach out to different places to see if they want to open a grocery store on (route) 616,” Mazzocco said. “It being an older community, in the winter it’s a bit harder for older folks to get to Boardman. And they have to rely on family to do it for them. And we’re going to try to get another mini bus to help seniors who don’t drive.”

He said a grocery store in town will not only help Campbell, but also bring people into the city to shop from Coitsville, Struthers and Youngstown’s East Side.

3RD WARD

In the third ward, Ryan Young was named to fill Mazzacco’s seat when he replaced Levendis as council president. He is running to retain the seat, and is challenged by Mary Janek.

A retired Campbell science teacher, Janek teaches courses part-time at Youngstown State University.

Responding to The Vindicator’s questionnaire, Janek said her top priority is community engagement and transparency.

“I will ensure that every citizen has a voice in decision-making,” she said. “This would include hosting and / or attending regular town halls, maintaining open communication via email, social media, virtual meetings and phone calls, and creating an accessible platform for community feedback.”

Janek also wants to use green initiatives to save the city money and make it a healthier place to live.

“Supporting green energy projects, such as replacing our street’s light bulbs with LED bulbs to lower the city’s electric cost, advocating for smart urban planning which includes using vacant lots for gardening (flower and vegetable) or solar fields, and increasing the use of green spaces for the health and well-being of residents, such as strategically incorporating elements like accessible walking trails and well-maintained sidewalks, which will significantly increase their use and positive impact,” Janek said. “I plan to apply for AARP Challenge Grants to help cover the cost of these healthy additions to our community.”

Her third priority is collaborative bargaining for lower utilities.

“By uniting residents and local governments, we can create a powerful, collective voice to negotiate directly with utility providers for fair and affordable pricing,” she said. “This approach puts the power back in the hands of the people and ensures that utility companies prioritize community needs, not just corporate profits.”

Young did not return a questionnaire and could not be reached for comment about his candidacy.

4TH WARD

In the 4th Ward, both candidates are write-ins, even the incumbent Bob Stanko.

Now reaching the end of his third term, Stanko said he is proud of the city’s accomplishments during his time and believes they have a firm foundation to build on.

“We’ve managed to remove the company houses, which was a major section of blight, and we have also removed hundreds of dilapidated homes,” he said. “We’ve worked to secure grant funding. So we hired a professional grant writer, and she’s been well worth the money we spent to get her.”

He said KO Consultants has helped to support fire, police, and the city’s general services, obtaining grants to support equipment purchases.

Stanko’s priorities align well with the stated goals of the two mayoral candidates. He wants to continue blight remediation, improve zoning enforcement, and do whatever the city can to keep residents in town and attract new ones.

“One of our largest problems is the loss of population. The aging population is passing on and young ones are seeking their fortunes elsewhere,” he said. “It’s tough to make a fortune here. You can make a good living here, but (they feel) to make a great living, that has to be done elsewhere.”

As for the competition, Pat Gentile did not respond to The Vindicator, but Stanko has his opinions.

“I’ve known Pat (Gentile) for a long time, and he is a good man,” he said. “If I were to lose and lose to Pat, I know that the city is OK. I would love to continue to serve the city, but I’m hard pressed to find something bad to say about Pat.”

LAW DIRECTOR

The race is between incumbent Lamprini Gust Mathews and challenger Brett Billec.

Mathews was elected in 2023 after former Law Director Brian Macala left the post to run for Campbell Municipal Court Judge. He lost that race to Mark Kolmacic, and was later arrested on charges of theft and criminal mischief for stealing Kolmacic’s campaign materials from residents’ houses and replacing the materials with his own. He was caught on a Ring doorbell camera. He eventually pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct.

Mathews is a lifelong resident and Campbell graduate, and the daughter of first-generation Greek immigrants.

“My journey has not been a traditional one, but every step has strengthened my dedication to fairness and service,” she wrote in a candidate statement published on the city’s website. “I understand the challenges families face because I have lived them. That is why I have devoted my career to advocating for others, whether through volunteering as an attorney with Community Legal Aid, helping victims of domestic violence, working in our Mahoning County Juvenile and Domestic Help Desks or working with victims and others who come into contact with the Campbell Municipal Court.”

Also a lifelong resident and CMHS graduate, BIllec is a bankruptcy attorney who interned with Mahoning County Common Pleas Court while obtaining his law degree from the University of Akron. He completed an externship with the Seventh District Court of Appeals in Youngstown and later returned for a paid part-time clerkship there.

He has since spent 23 years practicing bankruptcy law.

“I was able to help many people in the area with their financial situations, including many Campbell residents,” he wrote in his candidate statement. “While I found the experience rewarding, I decided to leave that position recently. If I am elected your Director of Law, I have no intention to conduct any private practice. I intend to devote all of my professional time to fulfilling that position.”