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Residents urge Mahoning County to secure elections headquarters; local nonprofit outlines free wellness day
Summary
At the March 13 Mahoning County Board of Commissioners meeting, speakers urged the county to prioritize security at the Board of Elections facility and a local nonprofit described an upcoming free community wellness event and partnerships to support workforce and education services.
Cathy Shafee Gage, voter services chair for the League of Women Voters of Greater Youngstown, addressed the Mahoning County Board of Commissioners on March 13, saying the county should prioritize securing the Board of Elections’ headquarters to protect voting equipment and records.
"If that board has deliberated and concluded that their current quarters cannot provide safety and security for our elections equipment, we think that's a serious problem and we would like to ask the Board of Commissioners to prioritize this as a concern and to work with the Board of Elections to make sure that our elections headquarters is a place where voting equipment can be assured to be safe," Gage said.
Gage told commissioners she or other League members have attended almost every board of elections meeting over the past four-and-a-half years and asked the commissioners to work with the Board of Elections to ensure secure storage of voting equipment, records retention, and a safe public-facing workspace.
Later in the public-comment period, John Michael Oliver, executive director of the African American Male Wellness Agency, thanked the commissioners for past support and described services and partnerships the agency provides, and its upcoming 12th annual free wellness day at the Covelli Center.
Oliver said the agency operates NCUS Tech, an accredited program offering adults a route to a high-school diploma and industry credentials, and that partners include Mahoning County Children Services, Mahoning County Job and Family Services, Youngstown State University, and the Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition. He described services for a local fatherhood coalition and job-placement supports and said the event offers free health screenings and community resources.
The League of Women Voters’ request was framed as a formal appeal for county action; Oliver’s remarks were presented as information about his organization’s programs and its intent to collaborate with county agencies.
No formal action on either topic was recorded in the meeting minutes during the public-comment segment; both items were presented during the public-comment period.
