LEETONIA Union offers its services for community projects

LEETONIA -- Members of Millwright-Pile Driver Local 1871 want to give something back to the community.
Don Crane, council representative of the local's northeast Ohio district, told village council Wednesday it would offer its services for community projects at council's discretion.
"The village police department was more than great to us," Crane said Thursday. "They worked with us. They let us park along the road while we were picketing. They didn't try to drive us off."
Picketing in Sept.: Members of the millwright's union staged an informational picket at the entrances to the Columbiana County Port Authority's World Trade Park for several days in September. They were expressing their disappointment that General Extrusions Inc. of Boardman did not choose union contractors to install equipment at the plant under construction there.
GEI's expansion plant is the first in the new park.
"We certainly don't want to do anything to stifle the economic growth of the village," Crane said. "That was not our intent. We appreciate everything the police department did to help us."
Police Chief John Soldano said there were a few problems with the union workers' blocking traffic, but nothing more serious.
Tire replacement: Soldano ordered six tires be replaced on the department's three cruisers. The tires picked up numerous nails as officers were patrolling the GEI construction site.
He said there is speculation but no proof that the pickets spread the nails around the job site.