LORDSTOWN Council OKs measure backing school levy

The district has made cuts to reduce expenses.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LORDSTOWN -- Village council passed a resolution supporting the school district's five-year, 6-mill levy on the November ballot.
"Without a strong educational system and strong government, our village will lose its appeal to potential residential growth as well as commercial development," says a letter from council to residents.
The levy would bring in about $770,000 annually for the school district, which has been in fiscal emergency since December 2000 and already has made cuts to reduce costs.
State involvement: A state commission was appointed to oversee district finances after state Auditor Jim Petro declared the district in fiscal emergency.
"It is now up to the voters of Lordstown," the letter reads. "We can continue to let our school finance destroy us or we can choose to support our schools and more importantly, our children."
Council also passed an ordinance Monday night amending the village's agreement with the Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste Management District to add a cardboard recycling program. The initial agreement was passed in November 2000.
Under the agreement, the village will house an 8-cubic-yard recycling container, provided by the district, near its 30-cubic yard recycling container. The village will collect lightweight and corrugated flattened cardboard only from residents of the solid waste district. No commercial loads will be allowed.
The solid waste district will service the containers at least once each week, says the agreement, which runs through the end of this year.
Roof maintenance: Council members also hired an Austintown company to maintain the roofs of the police and administration buildings.
Roth Bros. Inc. will be paid $1,930 annually from January 2002 to December 2003.
Earlier this year, the village encountered problems with a leaking roof on the police building. The roof is flat. Village officials believed the problem stemmed from the roof's insulation.