YOUNGSTOWN — Embattled Mahoning County Clerk of Courts Michael P. Ciccone had his access to all courthouse entrances, except the main one, suspended by county commissioners for violations of security rules and protocols, according to a letter they sent him.

In an unprecedented move, the commissioners suspended Ciccone’s access privileges to the courthouse. His office is on the second floor of the building.

Elected county officials who work in the courthouse usually use side doors or the back door to gain entrance to the building, bypassing security.

In a Dec. 23 letter to Ciccone, signed by the three commissioners, they wrote: “This email serves as formal notification that the courthouse security has suspended your access to the courthouse through the back door / emergency exit, effective immediately.”

It continues: “This action was taken based upon information received that you have violated security rules and protocols for entering the courthouse, including improper after-hours access and improper entrance into the courthouse without going through the security station. This action was taken based upon the recommendation of the courthouse security and with the approval of the presiding judge of the Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas,” who is R. Scott Krichbaum.

The commissioners informed Ciccone, a Republican, that he is “required to use only the public entrances and adhere to all standard screening procedures. This suspension will remain in place pending an investigation into alleged violations of courthouse security rules and regulations.”

In a Dec. 24 email, Hollie Musolino-Goodin, the commissioners’ executive director, wrote the notification was hand-delivered Dec. 23 to Ciccone, who reached out to county Sheriff Sgt. Ron Evans, head of courthouse security, as directed.

“For now, Mr. Ciccone and his staff should only be entering the courthouse through the front door,” Musolino-Goodin wrote in the email to numerous county officials, including the commissioners, Prosecutor Lynn Maro and Auditor Ralph T. Meacham.

In a Dec. 22 email, before the suspension letter was delivered, Cathy Jones, the county’s risk manager, wrote: “The limited research I have done appears to allow significant authority to the clerk in relation to physical access to his office to perform duties. However, research does suggest violations of building or courthouse security protocols may justify some limitations. While the presiding judge approved this measure, there was no order. Just a heads up in case he contests this action.”

A day later, which was also when Ciccone was given the suspension letter, Maro responded to Jones by email.

Maro wrote the Ciccone suspension decision “was not done without research. Sgt. Evans and I reviewed the courthouse security policy before the clerk’s access was terminated. This security policy was adopted pursuant to the Ohio Supreme Court’s rule of superintendence for the courts of Ohio, which became effective on March 1, 2009. Violation of these rules is a very serious matter, whether it is by the general public entering the building, an employee or an elected official.”

Maro added: “Based upon the information provided from courthouse security, it would appear the clerk has violated those rules. Given the violations observed, a full investigation is warranted. In addition, given the violations observed, continued after-hours access while the investigation is pending would not be prudent.”

Maj. Jeff Allen, the sheriff’s chief deputy, sent a Jan. 6 email to various county officials saying he interviewed Kathy Rudzik, the clerk of courts’ chief deputy, as well as Samantha Edwards and Brent Hanni, about staff at the courthouse on Dec. 20, a Saturday.

Allen wrote: “After completing all three interviews, I am confident that no criminal activity occurred. The evidence supports that Samantha Edwards was hired solely to train Brent Hanni, a new employee who lacked familiarity with the CourtView system, in order to complete required financial duties.”

Hanni is currently the clerk of courts’ fiscal officer, who recently filed to run as a Democrat for the 6th Congressional District. In his interview with Allen, Hanni said Edwards provided him training on the financial parts of the online CourtView system and was paid to assist him because following the resignation of two bookkeepers he “felt overwhelmed and did not have the necessary knowledge to use CourtView to complete his required duties.”

Allen wrote: “Sgt. Evans is tasked with advising Michael Ciccone about using the front door during business hours AGAIN. I say we hold off on giving him his 24 hr access back until after our next meeting on Jan. 14.”

The documents were obtained by The Vindicator through a records request. No documents were provided indicating Ciccone had his access privileges restored.

Mired in controversy, Ciccone declined to comment.

The Vindicator has reached out to Ciccone numerous times since he issued a written Oct. 19 statement insisting he wouldn’t resign. He has yet to respond.

OTHER ISSUES

Jennifer J. Ciccone, fired Oct. 17 by Michael P. Ciccone as his chief deputy and chief of staff after a falling out, posted on Facebook on the day she was terminated several incriminating and embarrassing text messages from and photos of her former boss and once close friend. That included the use of a racial epithet a number of times and slurs about elected officials.

The chairmen of the Mahoning County Republican and Democratic parties have called for Ciccone to resign, which he refuses to do.

The two political parties announced Dec. 19 it would seek to remove Ciccone through legal action.

The parties started collecting signatures early last month for that effort. The parties need at least 13,029 valid signatures from county residents on petitions to force a court hearing on Ciccone’s removal.

The parties accuse Ciccone of repeatedly abusing the authority of his office, using “discriminatory and degrading language,” and failing to “perform core statutory duties and administered the clerk’s office in a manner that undermined fiscal integrity, employee safety and public confidence in the judicial system.”

The complaint lists counts of malfeasance, misfeasance, nonfeasance, neglect of duty and negligence in office. It accuses Ciccone of mismanaging the title office, overhiring and overpaying personnel, engaging in favoritism, improperly waiving filing fees, failing to properly supervise employees and “failing to perform essential statutory duties.”

Also, the Ohio Clerk of Courts Association censured Ciccone, removed him from all committees and asked him to resign from the organization. Ciccone has refused to resign.

Licking County Clerk of Court Olivia C. Parkinson, the association’s president, wrote in a Dec. 8 letter to Ciccone that she was addressing “a matter of serious concern regarding your continued membership in (the organization). Recent documented conduct attributed to you — including multiple racially derogatory and offensive text messages, reports of office mismanagement and actions inconsistent with established standards — has raised substantial professional and reputational concerns for both you and the association.”

Parkinson added: “After careful consideration, it is the position of the executive committee that your continued membership undermines the values, credibility and integrity of OCCA. For these reasons, we respectfully request that you voluntarily resign your membership in the Ohio Clerk of Courts Association effective immediately.”

Ciccone’s personal finances remain an issue despite his annual salary being $101,823 last year.

Ciccone owes $5,896.50 in delinquent taxes he owes on four properties, up from $2,855.51 less than a month ago.

The biggest delinquency is $3,379.04 for his house at 18 S. Edgehill Ave. in Austintown, which is co-owned with Patrick W. Ciccone.

Also, Jennifer J. Ciccone filed a civil complaint Oct. 24 in county court in Austintown against Michael P. Ciccone contending breach of contract because she let him borrow money — $2,750 on December 2023 that he hasn’t paid back and $3,500 on September 2024 that he made payments of $2,000 on, but still owes her $1,500. She sued for $4,250 plus statutory interest.

Jennifer J. Ciccone wrote in the complaint that Michael P. Ciccone needed the $3,500 to “avoid being found culpable in the grievance proceedings” involving a former client who accused him of “gross neglect and misconduct.” Both Ciccones, who aren’t related, are attorneys.

Michael P. Ciccone hadn’t responded to the civil complaint as of Friday.

A summons was sent Oct. 27, three days after the complaint was filed by certified mail to Michael P. Ciccone through the clerk of courts’ office. The court docket shows the certified mail sent to his home by his office went unclaimed. Jennifer J. Ciccone then asked the summons be issued Dec. 4 by regular mail to him.

Service of process issues have been an ongoing problem since Michael P. Ciccone took over in January 2025 as clerk of courts.

​​Developer Dominic Marchionda, two of his companies, and former city Finance Director David Bozanich on Monday requested a judge dismiss Youngstown’s $834,608 civil lawsuit against them because the city failed to timely serve them with the complaint with the clerk of courts’ office failing to successfully send summons and the complaint by certified mail to them.

An attorney for Wick Properties LLC, owned by Marchionda, had to refile a request Tuesday for the clerk of courts to send a certified letter to Youngstown. Wick Properties filed an Oct. 8 lawsuit against the city contending extensive damage occurred to a stairwell at the downtown building because of construction work at the adjoining 20 Federal Place, a city-owned property.