ST. CLAIR TWP. –Approximately 4,050 registered voters in St. Clair Township will have the opportunity to decide which two of the three candidates will fill the two Board of Trustees seats up for grabs in the 2025 General Election to be held on Nov. 4 or during the early voting period which started Oct. 7.

Candidates include Challenger David J McCoy and incumbents James Sabatini, II and Robert Swickard.

Voters can vote for two of the three candidates.

David J McCoy

McCoy, who joined the Calcutta Volunteer Fire Department (CFVD) 44 years ago at the age of 16 and currently serves as the fire chief, a position held since 2016, is a 1983 graduate of Beaver Local who also attended CCCTC (Columbiana County Career Technical Center) in 1982 where he was enrolled in Construction.

He worked from 1983-2006 for McCoy Construction, a family-owned business, run by his father, the late Gary McCoy Sr.

In 2000, he started McCoy Construction Inc, a business that performs all types of residential work including concrete floors, driveways and sidewalks.

From 1986-2000 McCoy worked as a union carpenter on multiple projects including Sharon Wastewater, multiple bridges including the I-80 bridge over the Mahoning River and railroad, Columbiana County Jail foundation concrete, sewer and water line and the water tower on County Home Road.

He was also the superintendent on Elkton Wastewater Plant under County Engineer Bert Dawson and has worked with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), Scenic Rivers, ODNR (Ohio Department of Natural Resources) wetlands, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), tollbooths and roadway for Ohio Turnpike Commission, wastewater plants in Wintersville, Columbiana County and Struthers and water plants in Poland and Mingo Junction.

McCoy is a state-certified firefighter, PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) scuba diver, state certified in arson investigation, fire safety officer and code enforcement, wild land fire, basic rope course, swift water rescue, grain bin rescue, fire behavior and has national certifications in search-and rescue K9 handler for K9 Solace in tracking, area search and cadaver search.

McCoy’s current activities include participation in Good Friday fish fries to fund the Memorial Day fireworks, Memorial Day festivities such as the water battle and fireworks, St Patrick’s and Italian fests at Dunham’s Plaza, Community Day at Station 10 CVFD, fundraising for K9 Solace and search and-rescue team at locations and keeping up with K9 Solaces, trainings.

McCoy is a trustee for Beaver Local Youth Soccer and a member of the Wellsville First Christain Church.

McCoy has been married to his wife, Class of 81 Beaver Local valedictorian Lori (Huston) McCoy since 1986, and the couple has four children: daughter Shelbie Headley and her husband Sam; son Justin and his wife Courtney; son Drew and his wife Rachel and son Austin. They also have four grandchildren and a fifth grandchild due in early 2026.

McCoy notes representing his own community while helping others in their time of need has been another big part of his life. He organized the department’s search-and-rescue unit and has gone to Florida to help with hurricane assistance and North Carolina and Texas to help with flood recovery efforts.

McCoy said he and his family volunteer in the community and worked with the state park in the development of the soccer fields on Echo Dell Road. He noted that he along with a few others personally secured loans to bring in large equipment to get the project underway and his family and other volunteers built thee fields.

McCoy lists his qualifications for trustees as his experience in all areas of building construction from roads bridges and underground utilities, which he says will enable him to effectively maintain and improve the township’s infrastructure. He also lists his financial experience through the operation of a successful business for 25 years and the growth and operation of the Calcutta Volunteer Fire Department for 44 years.

“I would appreciate your vote, as my lifelong commitment to our community motivates me to improve our township infrastructure and expand programs that benefit all residents,” McCoy said. “I welcome your ideas and look forward to working together for positive change.”

James Sabatini, II – Incumbent

James Sabatini, II, a local business owner, has served as township trustee for 22 years.

Sabatini, who is self-employed as the owner of Sabatini Shoes for 50 years, is also appointed as a township representative for the Columbiana County EMA (Emergency Management Agency) and Columbiana County Landbank.

Sabatini’s current community activities include Calcutta Rotary Club (fundraisers and community projects); Columbiana County Township Association where he is a past president; member of the Ohio Township Association; St. Clair Travel and Tourism Board (fundraisers); annual Memorial Day event (master of ceremonies); providing support to residents through his family business and a member of St. Aloysius Catholic Church.

He and his wife Joyce have three children: son Michael and daughters Rachel and Kristin.

Sabatini says he has never lost an election and has never been convicted of a felony.

Sabatini list his qualifications as being an experienced businessman with over 50 years working and owning the family business; 22 years as a trustee and knowing the proper procedures of government; being community minded, working to improve the quality of life for the residents to provide a safe and prosperous community and says that he is trustworthy responsible and dedicated to the township.

Continuity is the reason Sabatini gives for seeking reelection.

Sabatini said that he wants to continue working for the township and to assist in its ability to thrive and prosper. He noted that while the township has grown tremendously in the past 22 years, there is still work to be done both now and for setting up groundwork for the future.

Sabatini list his three biggest accomplishments during his time as trustee as the completion of Columbiana Drive opening up more opportunity for business; bringing water to over 200 township homes with the water project through Buckeye Water District; and securing grants for paving, park development and pioneering growth of the business district and housing developments.

Sabatini says voters should vote for him because he has experience to deal with federal, state, county and local officials to obtain assistance to improve and assist with township needs. He is responsible and will always run the township as a business and always be responsible in making sure tax dollars are well spent, not wasted. He will work hard and tirelessly towards these efforts for residents and the community.

“I am proud and honored for your support and to be serving as your trustee for the past 22 years, “Let’s keep building tomorrow today”,” Sabatini said.

Robert Swickard – Incumbent

Robert Swickard, who served as a paramedic for over 43 years with 35 of those years in the East Liverpool area and has achieved the level of critical care paramedic for Healthnet Aeromedical Services where he oversees 10 bases and over 280 EMS personnel as director of ground operations. He has served as a trustees for the past 25 years.

He began serving as a township trustee when he was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Robert Wines due to retirement in July 2000. Swickard says he has been reelected six times since and has not lost an election. During his time as trustee, he has been elected twice as the president of the Columbiana County Township Association

Township trustee is the only elected office Swickard has held.

Swickard grew up in Glenmoor and knows the area, its people, and he works every day trying to make it better. He noted that during his tenure as trustee he has had the opportunity to work with every level of government, which he says is a kind of education not obtained from books.

Swickard said he is seeking reelection because he was fortunate to be raised with a strong work ethic and knows if you want something you have to work for it and he is not done working. He said there is more work to be done, and he still has the fire and passion to keep working now just as hard as he did on his first day.

Swickard says his biggest accomplishments as trustee include the undertaking of several infrastructure projects to address traffic when the township had an unprecedented commercial boom in the 1990s. Projects include the widening of state Route 170 from three-to-five lanes; McGuffey Drive to help divert through traffic; and the completion of Columbia Drive.

Swickard says he has never been convicted of a felony.

Swickard believes residents should vote for him because of his experience and integrity.

“These are difficult times, and I take the job very serious. I have the experience to navigate government contracts, employee relations and financial fiscal responsibility,” Swickard said. “I have never given anyone a reason to not trust any decision I have made that I have not thought through.”

Swickard and his wife Diana (Poe) Swickard, whom he met in high school, have just celebrated their 40th anniversary. The couple has two children: son Aaron and daughter Heather and her husband Danny. They also have one grandchild.

Swickard said community, community service, and Beaver Local have always been an important part of his life.

Swickard noted that in 1989 he, along with Candy Solterbeck founded the Beaver Local Alumni Association to preserve Beaver Local’s rich history through annual events such as car shows, the all-class reunions and scholarships for seniors. He served as the association’s first president up through 2009 and currently serves as their treasurer.

He also served on the Beaver Local Business Advisory Board.

Swickard joined the Calcutta Rotary in 1997 where he served on the Board of Directors as president and treasurer and served on the Scholarship Committee for Beaver Local seniors and the St. Clair Township Park Committee.

In 1999 he was asked to organize the St. Clair Township Blue-Ribbon Committee for Gov. Bob Taft’s Regional Economic Development Office which resulted in the widening of state Route 170 and construction of McGuffey Drive.

During his time as trustee, Swickard said he has traveled to Washington D.C. several times to obtain funding for township project and testified twice at the Ohio State House of Representatives, once for HB 329 which he says was to garner fairness in local government funding and once for his own bill HB 187 which protects EMS workers from frivolous lawsuits. This bill was the first one passed in the country and has been emulated in nearly every state since.

Swickard said that when the first hotel came to Calcutta in 2000, he was asked to with the bed tax dollars from the hotel to create the St. Clair Travel and Tourism Bureau which sponsors the township Christmas Decorating Contest and annual Memorial Weekend community event.