Trumbull County commissioners elect Tony Bernard president for 2026; Denny Malloy named vice president

The Board of Trumbull County Commissioners reorganized and elected Commissioner Tony Bernard as president and Commissioner Denny Malloy as vice president for one-year terms effective immediately. The nominations were seconded and the board recorded unanimous affirmative votes for both leadership positions.

An unnamed commissioner who nominated Bernard pointed to his decades of service and said the county is entering a period of growth, mentioning upcoming local investments including Kimberly-Clark, Amazon, Foxconn and Mercy Health expansion. After the vote, outgoing leadership passed the gavel to Bernard, who said he would look to his colleagues for advice and leadership as the board moves forward.

Why it matters: Board leadership sets who will sign and execute contracts and guide the commission’s agenda for the year; the president was subsequently authorized to execute pending applications and contracts previously authorized in the past, with the vice president authorized to sign in the president’s absence.

The election was procedural and decided by voice roll call; the board then resumed regular business and unanimously approved the agenda’s administrative items. The meeting concluded with commissioners offering condolences for Mayor Kyle and announcing a workshop scheduled for the following day.