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Trumbull County commissioners approve termination of Job and Family Services employee after executive session amid public objections
Summary
After entering executive session under Ohio law to consider discipline, the Trumbull County Board of Commissioners voted to terminate a Department of Job and Family Services employee effective Oct. 18, 2024. Public commenters disputed the sufficiency of evidence and made allegations about office misconduct during the meeting.
The Trumbull County Board of Commissioners voted Oct. 17 to terminate an employee of the Trumbull County Department of Job and Family Services, the board said, following an executive session called under Ohio Revised Code 121.22(g)(1) to consider discipline of a public employee.
The board read a personnel action ratifying termination for violation of department personnel policy and the county collective bargaining agreement and set the termination to be effective Oct. 18, 2024. Commissioners moved and seconded the action and recorded a roll-call vote approving the termination.
Public commenters objected prior to the executive session and during discussion, saying there was insufficient documentation supporting discipline and alleging disparate treatment and favoritism. One commenter called for an outside investigation and alleged that some county officials had tampered with evidence; the meeting record shows these allegations were raised publicly and met with objections from commissioners and staff.
Commissioners said the matter required closed-door discussion to review investigative records and personnel issues. The board followed the procedure in ORC 121.22(g)(1) to consider personnel discipline in executive session and then returned to public session to vote on the personnel action.
The meeting minutes recorded debate from commissioners about the documentation provided; at least one commissioner publicly said they had not received requested materials prior to the vote and questioned whether additional verification was available. The board nonetheless approved the termination motion and ratified the personnel action in open session.
The meeting record lists the affected department as the Trumbull County Department of Job and Family Services. The board’s formal action does not include further factual findings in the public record released at the meeting. The county did not provide additional written evidence or personnel records in the meeting transcript to substantiate the disciplinary decision.
