Council rescinds motion to get opinion on Trisket

By SHELLEY TERRY - Staff Writer - sterry@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon

May 13, 2008 07:25 pm

— ASHTABULA — City Council voted 4-3 Monday to rescind a previous motion asking the state attorney general whether one of its own can work in the public sector in addition to being on council.
Ward 4 Councilwoman Julie Lattimer made the motion regarding Ward 5 Councilman James Trisket, who’s a Mentor firefighter. President Robert Beacom seconded it.
Trisket broached the subject of “something being askew” with him serving two jobs in a public capacity at council’s special meeting Monday night. Trisket was talking about city resident Charlie Hauff’s request that he make a motion to ask the attorney general’s opinion of the situation. The request came after Hauff read sections of the Ohio Revised Code in which partisan political activities are prohibited.
Trisket said he was taken by surprise at the May 5 meeting, and now, has had time to look into the matter. He said the case Hauff brought up involved a county firefighter also sitting on the county board of commissioners.
Trisket is an Ashtabula city councilman and a Mentor firefighter — not the same county, not the same city, he said.
“Mentor city officials have no problem with it,” Trisket said. “From what I’ve read, the burden lies upon the employer.”
More than a year ago, the local Republican Party appointed Trisket to fill Ward 5 Councilman Chris McClure’s unexpired term. Trisket also was elected to council in 1998 and served a term without any problems, he said.
“A decade has passed with no problems,” he said. “It would be heart wrenching for me to step down at this point.”
On May 5, Trisket willingly made the motion Hauff requested, citing his respect for the law. But now he doesn’t believe it is necessary.
Vice President Betty Kist said she wanted to pursue what Hauff had to say, even if it ended with Trisket’s resignation.
Lattimer said City Solicitor Michael Franklin didn’t believe there was a conflict.
“If there’s a problem, we need to solve it,” Kist said.
Lattimer disagreed.
“You want to believe Charlie Hauff, but not our solicitor,” she said.
Council then voted 4-3 to rescind Trisket’s May 5 motion, with Ward 1 Councilman Joseph Rose, Ward 3 Councilwoman Ericka Severino and Kist casting the ‘no’ votes.
Trisket said he will bring a letter to council from Mentor city officials specifying his job duties and stating they do not have a problem with him serving as a councilman for Ashtabula.