10 Apply for Pat Coyne's Council Seat -- So Far

Two Strongsville School Board members and the husband of a third have applied for the at-large City Council seat vacated by Pat Coyne.

Council Clerk Leslie Seefried said 10 people have applied so far for the seat. Applicants have until 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 27 to seek the appointment.

The replacement will serve until the end of Coyne's term, which expires Dec. 31, 2013.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the applicants were:

Emanuel (Manny) Estrela, 15239 Old Oak Drive; Steve Sinisgalli, 20637 Westminster Drive; Anthony P. Zubek, 16689 Timberline Drive; Ruth A. Brickley, 20762 Pineview Circle; Brian Jungeberg, 12664 South Churchill Way; Mel Miller, 12615 Janette Ave.; Barry Zimmerman, 17651 Hampton Place; Danny F. Easa, 18084 N. Inlet Drive; John A. Palmer, 12221 The Bluffs; David M. Gusman, 20578 Pembrooke Oval.

Brickley and Gusman serve on the Strongsville Board of Education. Sinisgalli's wife, Jennifer, is the board president. Steve Sinisgalli ran unsuccessfully in the earlier this month.

The last council rep to be appointed, Scott Maloney in Ward 4, came from the school board.

Law Director Ken Kraus said council has until June 15 to appoint a new representative. If members don't appoint by then, the duty falls to Mayor Tom Perciak.

Coyne abruptly May 6, three days before he was arrested by the FBI on a . He was implicated last September in a bribery case involving Hinckley developer David Terry as part of the ongoing corruption probe in Cuyahoga County.

Coyne appeared in U.S. District Court May 9 and was placed on house arrest. He was released on $50,000 bond.

His attorney, Craig Weintraub, said Coyne will plead not guilty to the charge.

An affidavit from at FBI agent filed in federal court alleges Coyne approached Terry in early 2008 and asked for money. Terry, who has already pleaded guilty to bribing Coyne, told the FBI he gave Coyne four separate checks for $5,000 each, made out to four different accounts with Coyne's home address.

Three were the Strongsville Democratic Club, Citizens for Pat Coyne and Strongsville Wildcat Baseball.

The affidavit says National City Bank later drew on those funds to issue a check for $15,000 to Smuggler's Bay Point, a development in Marblehead. That check was used toward the purchase of a condo for Coyne, the document says.

Council President Mike Daymut said the process to replace Coyne will be determined after he sees how many applications are received. Council will interview all or some of the applicants before voting on a replacement.