WARREN TOWNSHIP Women control board of trustees

The Ohio Townships Association director doesn't know of any other all-female board of trustees.
BY TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Come the first of the year, Warren Township will be under the control of three women.
Michael Cochran, executive director of the Ohio Townships Association, said he does not know if having an all-female board of trustees is a first, but it's certainly rare.
Cochran has been with the association 20 years.
Township Trustees Terry Ambrose and Kay Anderson now serve with Norman Ashley.
Anderson was re-elected in November and Cheryl Ranttila Zaben defeated Ashley. Ambrose's seat was not up for election this year.
Uncommon situation: Darlene St. George, Liberty Township administrator, said it was unusual to see that many female trustees when she was a Howland Township trustee attending the state organization conventions.
St. George said that when she saw the election results, she realized that Warren Township would be represented by three women and that it is unique.
"I think it's unusual. My guess is it's not the first," Cochran said, noting he suspects there are a few, but he doesn't know of any specifically.
Not an issue: Ambrose said gender hasn't played a role in decision-making since she's been a trustee and it won't play a role, come the first of the year.
Zaben agrees. "Everybody's an individual. It's what they stand for," she said.
Zaben said she decided to seek the office because she had been involved in the community and had the time while working a part-time job.
"I thought I'd give it a shot," she said.
As in many Trumbull County communities, infrastructure is an important issue.
Zaben explained that wells provide water to township residents and individual septic systems are the rule rather than sanitary sewers. Water is the No. 1 issue, she noted.
One of the difficulties the township faces in extending water and sewer lines is the cost, since many property owners simply can't afford it. She said the township must look for grants to help defray the cost.
Zaben said she also wants to see more people involved in the community, especially to upgrade the parks.
Clerk, too: Anderson, who is in her second term as is Ambrose, said there will actually be four women in charge with Debra D'Orio serving as township clerk.
Asked if it will change the township approach to issues, Anderson responded, "I don't think so."
Township department heads, she noted, do very well on running the day-to-day operations.
Anderson explained that the township has been working with the Trumbull County Planning Commission to get grants for waterlines.
Trustees have been concentrating on the Meadowbrook section, between Meadowbrook Drive and Parkman Road, to extend waterlines.
In addition, trustees have been concentrating on replacing wells with sanitary sewers, resurfacing roads and demolishing abandoned structures.
In the past four years, 30 dilapidated structures have been razed and eight more are scheduled to come down next year.
"We survive pretty good here. It's a little town," Anderson added.