MAHONING COUNTY Officials to give license-fee funds to 1 shelter

Commissioners observed an unwritten rule that money stays in its own county.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A dispute over division of revenue from Mahoning County marriage license fees is over.
County commissioners decided to give all of the money to the Burdman Group instead of splitting it between Burdman and the Alliance Area Domestic Violence Shelter in Stark County.
"We felt it was crucial for Burdman to maintain their funding," said Commissioner Vicki Allen Sherlock.
Under Ohio law, $17 from each marriage license fee is set aside for funding domestic-violence shelters. In the past, all of Mahoning County's money has gone to the Burdman Group, which operates the Sojourner House shelter for battered women and children.
Facility sought funds: The Alliance facility asked to be included in the funding this year, saying it provides services for women who live in western Mahoning County and are closer to Alliance than Youngstown.
The agency also provides counseling services at Mahoning County's area court in Sebring, said executive director Barbara Lang-Abraham.
Commissioners had considered giving the Alliance group 10 percent of the county's money, but opted against it. The county generally brings in between $55,000 and $58,000 a year.
Sherlock said it has been an "unwritten rule" among shelter agencies that money collected in a particular county go toward shelters in that county. If there are overlapping services, it's up to the shelters to coordinate and cooperate with each other, she said.
Commissioners still want to help the Alliance group eventually, since it does offer services to Mahoning County residents, but won't do it with marriage license money, Sherlock said. Commissioners could send them a contribution later from general fund discretionary money.
Lang-Abraham said she would appreciate any contribution and that her agency will continue to serve county residents regardless of whether it receives funding from Mahoning County.
Contracts awarded: Commissioners also awarded contracts Thursday for maintenance and upgrades at the South Side Annex on Market Street and the administration building on Boardman Street.
Commercial Piping Co. was hired to replace the heating and air conditioning system at the annex for $291,027, while Prout Boiler Heating & amp; Welding was hired for the same job at the administration building for $634,900.
Tri-Area Electric got the contract for electrical work at both buildings, for a total of $123,630. All three companies are from Youngstown.
The annex, a former toy store, has been in disrepair for years so commissioners are catching up on repairs. The administration building is the former county jail and is being retooled into office space for county officials in an effort to free up space in the courthouse.