YOUNGSTOWN — Twenty-one people applied to Mahoning County Probate Court Judge Robert Rusu Jr. to fill one of two open seats on the MetroParks Board, including two people who have challenged the MetroParks’ deer reduction program in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

As probate judge, Rusu makes such appointments.

On Monday night, a selection committee was going to meet at 5:30 p.m. at the Mahoning County Bar Association offices to review and screen the applications. The committee consists of six committee members and a moderator — retired Trumbull County Probate Court Judge Thomas A. Swift.

The committee members are Michael Drabison, Rose Carter, Robert Toman, Leo Daprile, Glen Cimaglia and Juan Santiago. The opening of the meeting was open to the public but not the discussions among the moderator and committee members, said Shannon Hudspeth, Rusu’s administrative assistant.

Rusu issued a news release last month announcing that the application process for two open seats had opened and that the deadline was Friday. The two open seats are being vacated by Germaine Bennett and Tom Frost, who informed Rusu of their decision not to be reappointed when their terms expired at the end of this year, the news release stated.

Rusu stated that the selection of two new park commissioners will follow the same process he created in 2016 to give the public more input in choosing park commissioners. The selection committee is made up of community-minded individuals who will review and screen all of the applicants, the release states.

DONALD ALLEN

Among the candidates are veterinarian Dr. Donald Allen of Youngstown, who was one of four people who filed suit in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court asking for the MetroParks’ deer reduction program, which began in the fall of 2023, to be halted before it started.

Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge Anthony Donofrio and his magistrate, however, rejected the arguments in the lawsuit and allowed the reduction plan to take place. The group appealed, but the 7th District Court of Appeals upheld Donofrio’s ruling, and the Ohio Supreme Court refused to review it.

Allen’s application answers the yes to questions in the application such as whether he is a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years of age and Mahoning County resident (41 years), served in the military (U.S. Air Force / U.S. Air Force Reserve), no to whether he ever had been required to “post bond or other surety,” no to whether he had ever been “accused of any act involving dishonesty, fraud, false statements, violence or offenses of moral turpitude,” and no to whether he had ever had a court judgment entered against him “upon a claim for dishonesty, fraud, false statements, violence or other misconduct” or whether he had ever filed for bankruptcy.

Allen listed his civic and professional organizations, such as the Ohio and national Veterinary Medical associations, Argus Lodge, Youngstown Rifle & Pistol Range, All Breed Training Club and NRA. He answered no to whether he is related by blood or marriage to any appointee or employee of the Mill Creek Metropolitan Park District and no to having any immediate family member or household member having any previous financial interests through the Mill Creek MetroParks board and no to him or member of his immediate family or household having been engaged in a business, occupation or profession that involves financial interests with the park district.

He also answered no to having previously been appointed to any park board or similar entity.

When asked what training or other talents he has to qualify to serve in the MetroParks Board and how he would address concerns he has about the MetroParks, he answered, “My backyard overlooks Lake Newport and I have lived at this location for 33 years. I’ve walked our dogs in MCMP all of those years and know the trails well. I seek to improve the overall park system.” He listed his high school and college education and stated that he has worked at his veterinary office on Market Street in Youngstown since 1991. He listed three character references, two area business owners and local radio personality Louie Free. He attested at the end that “all questions asked within and all information sought … are reasonable, necessary and indispensable to making an informed decision regarding” the search process and that his answers are “true, complete and correct to the best of (his) knowledge.”

Allen also consented to the probate court and Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office conducting a background check on Allen and the results becoming “a permanent part of the court’s file.”

CHRIS FLAK

The other candidate who challenged the deer reduction program is Chris Flak of Youngstown, who was among the people who sought removal of the Mill Creek MetroPark Board members in a petition the Save the Deer of Mill Creek Park group filed with Mahoning County Probate Court in February 2024.

Rusu recused himself from the matter, and a visiting judge was appointed by the Ohio Supreme Court. Retired former Carroll County Common Pleas Court Judge John Campbell was assigned. He heard testimony in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court from Flak and other deer-group members, and ultimately ruled against removing any park board members or Mill Creek MetroParks Board Executive Director Aaron Young in February 2025.

Flak answered the questions on the application the same as Allen, except that she is not a military veteran. She has never been appointed to a park board.

She said her training, experience or talents to be on the board are that she believes that “restoring the public trust in the board of Mill Creek Park is essential. Not only is the current administration lacking in transparency, but there is questionable information given, which counters their reports and media interviews.

“The current administration has a record of poor public relations. As a public servant for 40 years, I believe that county residents should be able to verbalize their complaints and receive constructive feedback. I will do my best to bridge the gap between the public and the park administration.”

She holds a bachelor’s degree in social work and master’s degree in education counseling from Youngstown State University and is a licensed social worker. She has worked for Direction Home (former Area Agency on Aging), Turning Point Counseling Center and Beeghly Oaks Nursing home.

She listed several organizations she has been affiliated with, such as being an Animal Charities board member.

OTHER APPLICANTS

* Martin E. Willmitch of Boardman, who has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and works in maintenance at the Mill Creek MetroParks Golf Course. He previously worked in maintenance at the Canfield Fair and worked at Delphi Packard Electric in maintenance. His 30 years in management, shipping, production, industrial engineering, purchasing and training are his talents that qualify him for a board position, he stated.

* Stephen Solak of Boardman has lived in Mahoning County for two years. His training and experience for the MetroParks board position is that he has “been involved in political lobbying, interviewed candidates, I was a science teacher in Florida for over 30 years, mainly in environmental science high school level.” He has a bachelor’s degree from YSU in education and has been retired since 2014.

* Salvatore Sanders of North Jackson has a PhD and master’s degree in technical education from the University of Akron, and through 2024, was Youngstown State University dean of graduate studies and assistant provost for cyberlearning. He was professor of health professions, director of distance learning, interim director of media and academic computing, instructional technologist and instructional technology specialist. He also was director of clinical education at Cuyahoga Community College in the 1990s. His value to the MetroParks Board is he would “bring research, critical thinking and technology skills, administrative experience, a love of the park, a desire to enhance the MetroParks,” he stated.

* David Royal of Salem has an associate degree in funeral sciences from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service and has lived in Mahoning County 13 years. He said the talents he would bring to the MetroParks Board are “excellent time management, communication and public relations skills.” He has owned the Linsley-Royal Funeral Home in East Palestine since June 2015. “Being a business owner in a service industry, I can interact with the public to mediate disagreements or concerns,” he stated.

* Sandra Romanko of Poland is a 45-year resident of Mahoning County who said her listening skills and open mindedness are skills she would bring to the MetroParks board. She said “more community involvement and transparency” would be welcome at the MetroParks. She is a registered nurse and worked in the operating room at Mercy Health Youngstown from 1974 to 2016.

* Katharine Paull of Boardman, who has lived in Mahoning County 69 years, said she has “strong communication skills with children of all ages and adults. As an educator, I was involved in Project Wild.” She was one of the “original Mill Creek Park educational committee members,” providing input and guidance for educational programming within the parks. She also “filled the information centers throughout the park.” She hopes to “build a positive image and reputation with the public by creating an atmosphere that fosters communication.” She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and master’s degree in curriculum and was an educator in Youngstown City Schools from 1983 to 2020.

* Donald Mraovich of Youngstown has been a Mahoning County resident 77 years and has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Youngstown State University. He worked two months in 2022 as a Mill Creek MetroParks educator and was a Youngstown City Schools teacher from 1995 to 2008. He said his “extensive experience in biology and environmental science” would be an asset to the board. He would “do everything to preserve all wildlife and other aspects of the park,” he stated.

* Nicholas Hrehor of Boardman has lived in Mahoning County 43 years, attended Youngstown State University four years and has owned the small business, PG World Wide LLC, since 2021. He was general manager of the Steak and Shake restaurant in Boardman from 2013 to 2021. He said he has “worked all my life.”

* Frederick Houston of North Jackson has been an Ellsworth Township trustee for 12 years and was a Western Reserve Local Schools board member for 12 years. He was owner from 2006 to 2024 of Grinding Equipment and Machinery of Youngstown. “I have learned how to work as a board member,” he stated. “Most importantly, I have learned that before a vote, fight for your position. But if it does not go your way, then support the board 100%,” he said regarding the skills he would bring to the MetroParks Board. He said he believes “one problem right now is working and listening to the public and try our best to follow what we feel the majority wants.”

* Jim Houck of Boardman has lived in Mahoning County more than 20 years. He has a bachelor’s degree in public relations from The Ohio State University and is owner of Houck Agency Marketing and Public Relations in Youngstown. He has served since 2020 on the board of the Friends of Fellows Riverside Gardens. He said that is an “independent, nonprofit (organization) unaffiliated with” Mill Creek MetroParks “but exclusively serving” Mill Creek Park.

He said the strengths he would bring to the MetroParks board are “strategic communications and level-headed, objective leadership,” saying those skills will be “valuable as we approach a levy renewal ask while at the same time facing a public relations/credibility challenge. The park needs to work proactively on rebuilding the community’s trust and respect.”

* Samantha Heck of Youngstown has lived in Mahoning County two months and served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. She has worked as an assistant Trumbull County prosecutor in the civil division since September 2022, serving as counsel for clients including the county commissioners, other elected officials and administrative departments. She did other legal work outside of the prosecutor’s office starting in 2019. She has a master’s degree in public administration and a law degree from Cleveland State University. Her bachelor’s degree is from Youngstown State University.

She said the MetroParks “faces pressing challenges that require proactive, evidence-based leadership.” She said her top priorities would be “conservation and ecosystem management.” She said she would work “closely with state agencies, academic partners and community volunteers to protect and restore native habitats, control invasive species and monitor ecosystem health over time.” She said another concern is “Chronic over-browsing by deer prevents forest regeneration and degrades understory diversity.” She would “support balanced, humane wildlife management in coordination with wildlife experts, using data-informed strategies to achieve a sustainable deer population.”

* Kevin Flinn of Youngstown, who is the Youngstown Building and Grounds Commissioner. He answered the yes / no questions the same as Allen except for answering yes to being appointed to public office in his job with Youngstown and that he is a former precinct committee person and a member of the Crandall Park Parkside Neighbors.

His other jobs besides his current one are realtor and owner of a property management company. He said his real estate training and experience, as well as knowledge regarding street infrastructure and wastewater, can help the MetroParks’ “real-estate needs.”

* Richard Ferenchak of North Lima earned a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy and has worked as a pharmacist since 1991, now as pharmacy manager and staff pharmacist at the Giant Eagle in Boardman. He has lived in Mahoning County 54 years and was a board member and past president of South Range Local Schools Foundation. He said that because of his 35 years as a pharmacist, he is “used to interacting with people and resolving issues,” adding that it would “be a privilege to be a board member to ensure the park’s preservation for future generations.”

* Jarek Esarco of Boardman earned a bachelor’s degree and doctor of chiropractic degree from Ohio University, and has been owner since 2012 of Ohio Specific Chiropractic of Boardman. He has lived in Mahoning County more than 30 years. He said the “general concerns of the park should always hinge on service to the community and transparency of governance. One specific concern the park faces is the deer population. With no natural predators, deer can and do overpopulate,” he stated. “This harms the ecological landscape on many levels. Living by the park, I witness the negative effects of this every day. While Mill Creek Park does have designated nature preserves, the majority utilized by the community is situated in an urban setting,” he stated. “With this in mind, the park must be maintained and cared for in a way that promotes balance to all its flora and fauna.”

* Arthur Einzig lives in Poland and states that he also lived in Mahoning County from 1951 to 1993. He earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Kent State University. He is executive director of the Youngstown Area Jewish Cemeteries Association and before that worked for BJ Alan Co. in Youngstown and worked for New Era Architects of Boardman.

He said he has been involved in planning, construction documents, construction supervision and design for 50 or more years as an architect. “The park contains the area’s most valuable land resources and is one of the valley’s gems,” he stated. He served on the Youngstown Northside Historic District from 1991 to 2000 and also on the Youngstown Shade Tree Commission for a short time in the early 1990s.

* Hallie Duarte of Youngstown has lived in Mahoning County for 30 years and has a bachelor’s degree in biological science from Youngstown State University. She has worked at Windsor House Health, TJ Maxx / Home Goods and The Islamic Academy of Youngstown as an educator since August 2021. She stated that she “centered” her biology coursework on botany and ecology.

* Gary Davenport of Youngstown has lived in Mahoning County more than 40 years and has been a member of the Youngstown Shade Tree and Beautification Committee since 2023 and has been a member of the District 6 Natural Resources Allocation Committee since 2022. He has a bachelor’s degree in linguistics and philosophy from Youngstown State University. In his role as project manager for the Mahoning County Land Bank, he engages with partner agencies and the public to “manage a number of programs and special projects,” he stated. He has volunteered for the park district’s natural resources and education departments.

* Leo Connelly of Boardman has lived in Mahoning County for 78 years and served in the U.S. Army. He is commander of the Military Order of Purple Heart and has done 2,000 hours of volunteer work for the last 20 years, he stated. He has been retired for more than 10 years and did not list the specifics of his employment history. He is a Youngstown Chaney High School graduate, he stated. Vindicator archives indicate that Connelly earned his Purple Heart in 2019, having been stabbed twice by a Viet Cong soldier while trying to rescue an American soldier during the Vietnam War in June 1967, The Vindicator reported. He was previously inducted into the Ohio Military Hall of Fame for valor and has served on the board of the Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission, the Vindicator reported. He did not respond to the question asking for specific ways he would improve the park system.

* Joshua Boyle of Boardman has lived in Mahoning County nine years and has been a member of the Nature Education Committee of the Mill Creek MetroParks for two years, and worked as a naturalist for the park system from 2016 to 2017. He and his wife have owned the company ECO since 2018, for which he serves as lead educator and field technician. ECO conducts educational programs for youth in the Mill Creek MetroParks and is “working on the Mill Creek Interceptor project with the City of Youngstown, he stated. He has worked as an environmental educator over 15 years, across federal, state and local district lands from the shores of the Pacific Ocean to the shores of the Atlantic, he stated. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Prescott College in Arizona in experiential education, specializing in environmental studies. He also is program manager for Project STREAM, an environmental education program he teaches in the Boardman Local Schools that involves field trips and lessons “reaching over 1,500 students,” he stated.

“While talking and understanding citizens’ concerns, I understand this position requires me to use scientific evidence as the basis for managing MetroParks flora, fauna and ecosystems,” he stated.