Emergency response team to get building

YOUNGSTOWN -- After 13 years of moves, the Mahoning County Emergency Management and Hazardous Materials Response Team is close to having its own home.
Mahoning County commissioners agreed during their regular meeting Thursday to advertise for bids to build a 7,000-square-foot emergency management building on county property on Industrial Road.
The building will house offices and an operations center with emergency phones, radios, power and room to house multiple agencies in the event of a major disaster.
"It's been a long time coming," said David Horvath, a member of the agency's policy board.
Horvath said the hazardous materials offices have switched facilities 14 times in the past 13 years. During that span the county has paid rent to house the team and equipment, said Vicki Sherlock, commissioner president.
The team now uses space in the county courthouse basement, but commissioners said expansion in the courthouse has made it impractical to keep the emergency management operations there.
Construction of the new building is scheduled for late fall.
Commissioners also approved upgrading the BW3 Austintown liquor license from a Class 2 to a Class 3 license. The change allows the business to serve alcohol until 2 a.m.