HUBBARD TOWNSHIP Trustees ask governor for speedy appraisal

Trustees are checking paving bids after one bid was much lower than others.
By SUSAN BERLIN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
HUBBARD -- Township trustees have asked Gov. Bob Taft to help speed up an Ohio Department of Transportation land appraisal, which is holding up the Flying J Travel Plaza project.
Trustees say if this is not resolved soon the developers will move the project to Pennsylvania, resulting in lost jobs and revenue.
Flying J wants to break ground in August on 25 acres on the west side of routes 7 and 62, north of Interstate 80 and just south of Hibler Road. Northbound traffic on Route 7 can't turn left because a grass-covered median separates the four-lane highway.
Reason for appraisal: ODOT owns the land and is having it appraised to determine how much it will charge Charles and Edward Margala, developers and owners of Flying J.
The $8.5 million project is to create between 130 and 160 jobs.
Paving bids: In other business Monday:
Trustees will recheck bids for the hot-mix road paving program after Diorio Paving submitted a bid about half of all others. Six other bids ranged from $152,000 to $177,000; Diorio bid about $83,000. Trustees will conduct a special meeting Wednesday to award the contract.
Trustees will conduct a public hearing at 10 a.m. July 7 to review a requested zone change allowing multifamily dwellings on Creed Avenue.
John Pieton, zoning administrator, said Trumbull County has made a procedural change that will increase the time it takes to get zoning permits. The county now requires a septic inspection for all new homes and additions to existing homes.
Evidence locker: Trustees approved framing in a police bay to create a storage locker for police evidence and upgrading computer programming for the zoning office for $500. Christopher Murphy was rehired as clerk at $6.25 an hour.
Herman Jackson, a township resident, asked for clarification on who will be responsible for sewer problems in the southwest area of the township. Trustees said a change in the sewer-line district map means that properties previously under Youngstown's jurisdiction have now become Hubbard Township's responsibility. Trustees said they are studying whether to install new equipment to serve the area better.
Land offer: An undisclosed benefactor has verbally offered to give the township two acres on Youngstown-Hubbard Road. Trustees will have the property inspected before accepting because metal drums with unknown contents sit on the property.
Trustees awarded a commendation to 12-year-old Marisa Henrich for reporting a house fire April 28 and to Kenneth D. Miller, township patrolman, for being selected the Optimist Club's officer of the year.