Austintown trustees tap Ciccone to replace Santos

Insurance agent not related to embattled clerk of courtsd

AUSTINTOWN -- The township's governing panel is fully staffed once again.

At Monday's regular meeting of the Austintown Township Trustees, trustees Bruce Shepas and Monica Deavers announced their appointment to fill the seat left vacant last month by the resignation of Robert Santos.

Local insurance agent Jamie Ciccone will serve in the role until at least the November 2027 general election, when she will have to run to serve the remainder of Santos's term, which expires at the end of 2029.

"First, I'd like to thank Trustee Deavers and Trustee Shepas for placing their confidence in me by...appointing me to this position. I look forward to working with all of our departments, and our trustees and all of you," Ciccone said. "They work very hard each day already, serving the residents of Austintown, and I really look forward to doing the same."

At least 13 people submitted letters of interest for the posting -- eight of them by the initial July 16 deadline, and five more, including Ciccone, after that. Trustees said it was Ciccone's civic engagement that made the decision an easy one.

"Monica and I believe we need to move forward, and we are doing that by selecting someone that is eager like ourselves," Shepas said. "We're always attending so many different meetings and serving on boards across the county. Monica and I go to all these events as business owners and as township leaders and we know that Jamie is also already at these events."

Shepas serves as president of the Mahoning County Township Association, and operates Austintown Bounce, among other business ventures. Deavers owns Charly's Family Restaurant and is a member of the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber, Austintown Rotary and Austintown Junior Women's League.

Ciccone -- who is not related to embattled Mahoning County Clerk of Courts Michael Ciccone -- also is a member of Rotary and the Junior Women's League, a member of the Austintown Fire Levy Committee, chair of the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony, member of the Austintown Zoning Commission, and a member of the Regional Chamber.

Shepas and Deavers also noted that Ciccone provided T-shirts for both the police and fire departments to support their respective operating levies.

"We were looking for someone that demonstrated a strong commitment to our community, and through the years, Jamie's always been very involved and she'll make a great addition to the board of trustees," said Deavers. "We'll make a great team, and I think we'll continue to serve the residents with honesty, respect and a shared commitment to our community."

The list of applicants included former trustee and Mahoning County Commissioner Dave Ditzler, Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Bailiff Andrea Paventi, former Youngstown Councilman Michael Rapovy, Salvation Army of the Mahoning Valley operations manager Jonathan Guerrier, local attorney Michael Kachelries, CareSource community health worker Taddarrelle Lett, retired Youngstown State University business professor Fred Owens, retired FBI agent Brian Kennedy, local mechanic Carl Clay, YSU Recycling Program Administrator Erica Nielsen, Hubbard Exempted Village Schools Financial Administrative Assistant Jacqueline Palermo and CCA daytime reporting officer and private investigator Brenda Rider.

Rapovy and Clay also ran against Deavers and Santos in November's general election, as did former trustee Jim Davis. The latter did not submit a letter of interest for Santos's open seat.

Deavers and Shepas both said Ciccone made a strong impression, but for Shepas one point in her favor stood out above the rest.

Shepas noted that there have been rumors Ciccone might be interested in running for the office or had been encouraged to do so in the past. She had not pursued a seat on the board, though, until submitting her letter of interest for Santos's vacant chair.

Ciccone's rationale for pursuing it in this way struck Shepas as profound. Ciccone's answer to that question is spelled out in her letter.

"This appointment would not simply be an opportunity to serve temporarily. My intention is to seek election to this position so that the residents of Austintown ultimately have the opportunity to decide whether I have earned the privilege of continuing to serve them," she wrote. " I welcome that accountability and believe public service should always be grounded in earning the trust and confidence of the community."

Santos, originally elected in 2021, was reelected to his seat in November with 29.5% of the vote, coming in 1,624 votes over Davis and just behind Deavers, who as the board's vice-chair, will take over the gavel from Santos.

"Of course, I want to put a good shout out to the 13 people who applied," Deavers said. "Their willingness to serve shows great respect to our residents, and I hope they stay involved because it takes people like them to keep Austintown moving forward."

Ciccone took her oath of office from the man she is replacing. While Santos's new county office alone does not give him authority to swear in a township official, any county employee who is also a notary public -- and many are -- can administer an oath of office. Santos is a licensed notary.

"I am proud to see Jamie appointed to serve the residents of Austintown Township. She has consistently demonstrated her commitment to this community by freely giving her time, energy and support whenever it is needed," Santos said. "She genuinely cares about people and has always been willing to step forward and do the work. It was an honor to swear in my successor and I am confident she will serve Austintown with integrity, compassion and a strong commitment to its residents."

Santos resigned at the front of the July 6 regular meeting, after accepting the position of Project Manager-Capital Programs with Mahoning County, which is focused on economic development.