WARREN — The Trumbull County commissioners are looking at various options the county can take to provide low-cost transportation to the general public once Trumbull Transit Administrator Michael Salamone retires in May.

Options include hiring someone to replace Salamone as the transit administrator, dividing his duties among current county employees, or working with other Trumbull County government entities to establish a countywide transit system.

“We need to set up meetings,” Commissioner Rick Hernandez said. “We need to do it sooner, rather than later.”

The commissioners tentatively are scheduling a meeting to discuss their options after their April 7 workshop.

The county transit administrator’s job includes ensuring all available state and federal transportation grants are applied for and making sure rides are available for residents.

Salamone, according to Ohio’s OpenPayrolls website, in 2022 earned more than $90,815 per year. He was among the highest-paid employees in the county.

“The first thing we need to do is to get together with the mayors of Girard, Warren and others to see if we are going to form a countywide regional transit authority,” Malloy said. “If they are not interested, then we will move on to our own thing. Do we have someone in the county to serve as an interim administrator?”

The commissioner recently said he is leaning against bringing in a new transit administrator.

“We don’t need someone earning that amount of money answering phones,” Malloy said.

Malloy said the county lost several Western Reserve Transit Authority bus routes approximately a year ago.

“We have not had much pushback,” Malloy said. “There has been some pushback by (Warren) city residents.”

He noted that most of those complaining live within the city. Those still using a public transit system are being served through a program provided by the county’s senior levy.

GRASS CUTTING CONTRACT

Commissioners on Wednesday approved contracts with four companies that will mow the lawns throughout the summer for approximately 103 senior residents living in Trumbull County.

Companies awarded the contracts include A. J. and A Snow Removal and Lawn Care of Youngstown at $45 per yard; Zarlinski Landscape LLC of Brookfield at $50 per lawn; 3JD Lawn Care Services of Cortland at $55 per lawn; and Angels at Work Home Health of Girard at $45 per lawn.

Senior Levy Administrator Diane Siskowic-Jurkovic said the landscapers will be required to obtain a signed document from the residents showing the work on the property has been done or take photos of the properties.

“Because we are dividing the lawns between the four companies in different quadrants of the county, we should be able to get more done,” she said.

There were some complaints about work not being done under the previous contractor, but the county has redesigned the program so there will be greater accountability.