Proposed industrial park in Austitntown Township would affect all residents

Proposed industrial park in Austitntown Township would affect all residents
EDITOR:
I am writing to address the zone change of the acres of agricultural land to industrial for the Centerpointe business park off state Route 46 in Austintown.
We formed the Austintown Concerned Citizens group after the Sept 26 meeting with the zoning commission, which was attended by approximately 146 people.
After Jonathan Levy, Route 46 Land Partners, presented his proposal, the homeowners had a chance to speak up at this three-hour meeting. There were no residents who were for this project, but it took the zoning commission only 10 minutes to make their affirmative decision.
At a meeting on Sept. 29 at the Four Mile Run Church, we met with approximately 300 residents. All who attended this meeting asked us to form a group to address these many issues. They asked Jamie Williams to be the chairperson of this group, and he accepted.
I got involved because all the residents asked us to represent their side of the issues. I was especially touched by the residents' stories. My heart went out to them and their families. I committed at that time to see what I could add to help them. Some of their properties have been in their families for many, many years.
On Oct. 30, a meeting was held at the Township Hall on Ohltown Road, which was filled to capacity. Another 200 people were outside unable to get into the meeting to express their concerns. It was then they decided to delay the meeting until Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. at the Austintown Fitch High School cafeteria so more could be in attendance.
At this meeting the land owner presented his proposal to the trustees and residents.
Approximately 400 residents were in attendance from each of the bordering neighborhoods and other areas of Austintown. The majority of those were against the industrial park.
We are all in favor of bringing in more jobs to our community. We want to keep our children and grandchildren here with us, but not at the expense of all the residents involved.
With the many buildings that are vacant in the already zoned industrial areas, I cannot figure out why they want to take virgin land that is agricultural, residential and change it to industrial.
The residents whose property is directly affected do not want this rezoned.
Would you want this industrial park in your backyard?
Our homes are our biggest investment in our lives, beside our families. We worked hard for this goal.
The trustees of Austintown were elected to represent, serve, and protect all of the residents.
If 390 people at a meeting say no and 10 say yes what would you do? Granted there are more than 400 residents that live in Austintown. That is why we are looking for more volunteers to get this proposal on the ballot so every registered voter can vote on this important issue. This will affect all of the residents of Austintown, not just the residents who border the park property.
PAUL CUBELLIS
Austintown
Poland school board should listen to taxpayers
EDITOR:
Don't blame the taxpayers. Poland Board of Education in response to their 3.9 mill levy defeat responded with punitive measures against the community and a new 6.9 levy.
In a Vindicator article Aug. 31, 2000, reporting the board's approval of a new three-year teachers contract, Superintendent Zorn stated, "the new agreement won't require any new taxes."
Over 80 percent of the district budget is employee costs. I would suggest they start there. Poland schools' labor contracts need to be managed. It's stupid that on snow days the janitors stay at home (per contract). Wouldn't the taxpayers be better off if they were shoveling snow or doing other maintenance work?
The board and superintendent should answer to the taxpayers, not the unions. The taxpayers have responded twice -- No new taxes!!
F. GENE McCULLOUGH
Poland