WARREN - Come Thursday, John Gargano can take the word ''interim'' off his title as director of Trumbull County's Department of Job and Family Services.
That's the day when commissioners will vote to put Gargano permanently into the position, which he's held as caretaker since July 2011.
Gargano will oversee all operations of JFS and the county's OneStop Workforce Center and Child Support Enforcement Agency. In addition, Gargano will continue as attorney for the three agencies, a job he'd done for nearly three decades.
''He's going to fill both roles,'' said county human resources director Jim Keating. ''Day-to-day, he will be the agencies legal adviser.''
The legal adviser position won't be filled.
Gargano will earn $99,500 - about 20 percent more than he was making as interim director, but about 7 percent less than the county's last permanent director.
Fact Box
Trumbull County commissioners will meet 10:30 a.m. Thursday on the fifth floor of the county administration building, 160 High St. N.W., Warren.
There were more than a dozen applicants for the director's position when it came open in July 2011 because of the retirement of Diane Shamrock, who had taken over the job in addition to her duties of running child support enforcement, when the last permanent director, Tom Mahoney, was fired in 2009.
Not ready to hire a permanent replacement after Shamrock's departure, commissioners temporarily appointed Gargano to oversee JFS.
''The reason he was there so long is partly because we just didn't take action, but partly because we were watching him,'' said Commissioner Paul Heltzel.
Commissioners wanted to make sure Gargano could transition from legal adviser to director, which he has successfully done, Heltzel said.