TIFFIN, Ohio — Seneca County Commissioner Anthony Paradiso publicly addressed for the first time the ongoing controversy surrounding fellow Commissioner Bill Frankart and Sheri Trusty, an independent contractor for the county, at the League of Women Voters of the Tiffin Area’s annual Candidates’ Night on Wednesday.
The scandal, which erupted earlier this month, involves an article authored by Trusty that was published on the county’s website. The article criticized Advertiser-Tribune reporter Kayla Trevino for her coverage of Frankart’s personal custody dispute, sparking concerns about the improper use of public resources for private matters.
During the event at Tiffin Middle School, Paradiso, who serves as president of the Board of Commissioners, responded to audience questions about the issue, affirming that the commissioners are committed to maintaining a strict boundary between official duties and personal interests.
“The position of the commissioners is that we not use the office for personal use,” Paradiso said. “We’re elected officials, the office is for the use of the commissioners. The specific case that’s pending now, we are letting that play out. It’s being investigated, it’s to be determined.”
Paradiso did not provide further details on the ongoing investigation but reiterated that the board does not condone the misuse of public resources.
“As a general rule, I know myself, we never turn anything in for lunches. The commissioners pay for everything ourselves, buy our own shirts… So that’s not how we operate,” he added.
Concerns Over Communications Approval Process
Paradiso also fielded a question about the county’s communications process and how materials are vetted before being published online. The audience was particularly concerned about how the article was approved for release on the county’s official website.
“We had Jimmy Flint, who was our communications person. He was a county employee directly, he was full-time, and we operated differently,” Paradiso explained, noting that Flint left his role over a year ago. “Since then, we’ve been working with an independent contractor.”
He acknowledged that the current review process for official communications is inconsistent.
“Sometimes we review what goes out, sometimes we don’t,” Paradiso admitted. He added that the board is now working to improve these procedures. “We want to tighten that policy up, so we’re in the process of looking at a social media policy, website policy, and how communications would be funneled out of the office.”
Public Outcry
The controversy centers on Frankart’s personal custody battle, which involves his granddaughter. Frankart is seeking custody following the conviction of his son, Zachary Michael Frankart, on sexual assault charges. Trusty’s article accused Trevino of biased reporting on the case, a move that has drawn public criticism for potentially misusing county resources.
The board’s transparency and handling of communications are now under scrutiny as residents call for greater accountability.
As of Thursday evening, the county has yet to produce any records requested by TiffinOhio.net under Ohio law, citing the need for an “IT consultant” to collect the records, who has “not yet responded,” according to County Administrator Barb Patterson.
To watch the full 2024 Candidates’ Night hosted by the League of Women Voters of the Tiffin Area, click here to go to their Facebook page.
