Politics & Government

Paul Colavecchio Named Ward 5 Councilman (With Video)

The longtime Cuyahoga Falls resident, and husband of former Ward 5 councilwoman Diana Colavecchio, takes the council seat left vacant when his Diana became Stow Clerk of Courts last month

The name of Cuyahoga Falls' newest city council member will sound pretty familiar to those who follow local government.

Paul Colavecchio replaces his wife, Diana Colavecchio, as the city's Ward 5 council person. Members of the Democratic Precinct Committee for Ward 5  unanimously approved him for the seat inside the Nervous Dog in Stow Wednesday night.

Paul Colavecchio said that night he plans to follow in his wife's "big, little shoes."

Find out what's happening in Cuyahoga Fallswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

I intend to continue the hard work that my wife did when she was here and take my job very seriously," he told Cuyahoga Falls Patch.

Diana Colavecchio was appointed to be the new Stow Clerk of Courts in January, leaving an open seat on council.  

Find out what's happening in Cuyahoga Fallswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Paul Colavecchio, a local attorney, said having a legal-minded person on council is always a plus. He said his wife, also an attorney, had kept the city out of hot water in the past because of her knowledge of law.

In all, he said he is "just going to work hard and listen to the needs of the constituents."

Ward 5 resident Mary Nichols-Rhodes, also 5-A precinct committee person, nominated Paul Colavecchio for the seat.

"He's had a front-row seat to the needs and the concerns of the residents of our ward," she said.

Paul Colavecchio is a 1974 graduate of Painesville Riverside High School and has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Kent State University and a juris doctor from Cleveland Marshall College of Law.

According to his Patch profile when he ran for state representative in Ohio's 36th district, he's been involved in the following political and community activities: Wills for Heroes (free legal estate planning for military, police and firefighters); volunteer call-in legal advisor, Akron Bar Association, 2011-present; Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Guardian ad Litem, Summit County Juvenile Court, 2010-2011; member, Akron Bar Association, 2008-present; past president and member, Cuyahoga Falls Democratic Club, 2006-present.

He was narrowly defeated by incumbent Anthony DeVitis in that November election.

Paul Colavecchio will take his seat as Ward 5 councilman at Monday night's Cuyahoga Falls City Council meeting. He will finish out the remainder of Diana Colavecchio's term, which ends in January 2014.


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