Trending
LISBON -- Commissioner Roy Paparodis spent Wednesday morning defending himself regarding a government grant that could benefit his business to the tune of $269,675, along with questions about social media posts, including one for his campaign.
"My questions have nothing to do with politics. I'm not affiliated with any political party. I'm a lone wolf," former county commissioner Dave Cranmer began.
Cranmer had called previously to be placed on the agenda for the commissioners' meeting and his presentation included a laundry list of items ranging from claims of workers' compensation fraud posted on the Paparodis campaign social media page, a social media post about a property valuation and questions about a grant for BB Rooners in Salem, which Paparodis owns under the Rodis Group.
The questioning led to some politically charged exchanges between Paparodis and Cranmer.
"It's interesting that one week before the election that we're having this dramatic day here," Paparodis said.
Cranmer said there was nothing dramatic about it, he just had questions.
One of those questions dealt with something he asked at a previous meeting, whether any of the commissioners had received a grant. All said no, but he recently learned about the Appalachian Community Grant submission that includes a downtown revitalization project for BB Rooners, a restaurant in Salem that Paparodis owns.
"That's not true," Paparodis said, claiming it wasn't BB Rooners, it was the Rodis Group, which he's listed as agent.
Cranmer said to Paparodis that he had made the statement that he has no intention of raising property taxes, which that's a good thing, good for media.
"You won't raise property taxes, but you will use tax dollars for your own personal gain," Cranmer said regarding the grant, calling it questionable.
Paparodis defended the move, calling the Appalachian Community Grant one of the biggest grants ever because it will be transformational for the areas affected. The package submitted by the Ohio Mid-Eastern Government Association covers 10 counties, which is considered one application for the entire region. If the grant is awarded, all the projects in the 10 counties will be done. Of the many projects on the list for Columbiana County, there are 14 downtown revitalizations, with a handful of those in Salem, including BB Rooners. He explained that the property owners must put up some of the money, with his contribution to total more than $100,000 for the $385,250 project.
"This isn't a selfish thing, this is a benevolent thing. It's not Roy Paparodis, it's not BB Rooners, it's a consortium," he said. "I'm proud to be part of that. I wish more people got involved."
He named a couple of property owners in downtown Salem who chose not to take part, saying they didn't want the risk. He again said, "this isn't greed, this is benevolence."
When asked later if this was a conflict considering he's on the committee, he said "there was no conflict. It's all legal."
He also said he talked to an attorney who said there's no conflict. He said people who think it's a conflict are missing the big picture for how these projects will transform the area.
Cranmer had started his questioning by saying a couple of things were brought to his attention that he found disturbing and one was a post that had to do with the Paparodis campaign. Paparodis is running for re-election and is facing a challenge from two opponents for the Republican nomination.
The post showed a pig and the words "wasteful spending authorized by Mr. Weigle," "questionable overtime of friends," "worker comp fraud," "lack of sign off by all three commissioners," "no new taxes," "let's blame it on Paparodis," "questionable hire of friends," and "no Tim, I will not support raising the property taxes of the county, Commissioner Roy Paparodis."
Cranmer said it wasn't funny. He asked for an explanation as a taxpayer regarding the claims and said the one claim regarding workers' compensation should be in the hands of the prosecutor.
Paparodis questioned why he was bringing it today and not next week, with Cranmer saying he just received it this week.
"If you're saying a crime has been committed, it should be addressed," Cranmer said.
Commissioner Tim Weigle said he thought the post was directed at him and the county Emergency Management Agency director regarding a workers' compensation claim for additional medical testing needed for a volunteer who responded with the EMA director to the East Palestine train derailment the night it occurred. All the first responders, including the volunteer and Weigle, received letters regarding health evaluations. Weigle received a followup letter advising him to get a chest X-ray and paid the bill himself. The volunteer had more extensive testing that had to be done. The time came to figure out how to get it paid for him.
"There was no fraud committed," Weigle said, adding that Norfolk Southern was working with the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation to make sure all the claims paid were reimbursed.
"If I committed fraud, if they can prove fraud, I'll step down. If there's no fraud, I would ask that Mr. Paparodis step down from the campaign," Weigle said.
He expressed concern that "a commissioner" got a call from a constituent and information from this office got put out to the public that's flirting with HIPPA violation related to health information being released.
Paparodis said he wasn't the author of that post and he never signed off on the workers' compensation claim and he didn't think Commissioner Mike Halleck had either. Cranmer told him he should find out who wrote the post.
"I'm concerned about my election and I'm concerned about the business of the county, I'm not interested in political drama and exaggeration," Paparodis said.
Halleck reviewed the timeline for the workers' comp claim.The third party administrator for the county's insurance sent an email accepting the claim on Oct. 31, 2023, conversed with all three commissioners and the notation said "we will accept if BWC allows." The timeline said Paparodis took a call from the BWC on Nov. 16, 2023, a letter came from the BWC denying the claim that day, then a letter allowing the claim arrived on Nov. 20, 2023. The final date was Dec. 18, 2023 for approval of the received fax for the medical test. Halleck said there was no fraud involved. Paparodis said he got the call and said no one mentioned to him about a workers' comp claim and it wasn't discussed.
The post on social media regarding a real estate issue involving the valuation of a property wasn't explained in detail during the meeting, but led to Paparodis asking Cranmer about his political affiliation. He said he votes Independent.
After the meeting, it was learned the post allegedly had to do with a reduction of taxes for property owned by county Republican Party Chairman David Johnson, which was done through the Board of Revision. Paparodis is a member.
County Treasurer Bryan Blakeman, also a member, said the reduction was based on two separate independent appraisals, one by Cleminshaw company and one by an auditor's employee who is an appraiser. He said both were lower than the current value.
Other questions dealt with the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds and whether any were sent to East Palestine, the payment of $80,000 to a reporter who had been arrested in East Palestine, with $32,000 paid to the attorneys and questions about the Maryland School project in East Liverpool with the land bank.
Halleck said East Palestine was getting such an influx of funding that "they probably needed us less than some of the other areas of our county."
Paparodis called what happened at Wednesdays meeting a "political maneuver."