WARREN Official questions lawmaker's plan for street projects
A councilman says he's sticking to his road resurfacing plan.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The city's engineering, planning and building department director is concerned about a proposal by some council members for street resurfacing.
At an engineering, planning and building committee meeting last week, Councilman Robert Holmes III, D-4th, announced that he was circulating a petition among council members. His petition suggests using proceeds from an Anthem stock sale and money from license plate fees to be used for street resurfacing.
"Using these funds to resurface neighborhood streets next year begs the question, where will council find the funds necessary to implement projects this city is already committed to?" wrote David J. Robison, director of the engineering, planning and building department, in a letter to council members.
Robison referred to projects already planned in the city, including the West Market Street improvement project, which will cost the city about $616,000 in 2003 or early 2004. The remaining $2.46 million for the project is to be funded with federal grants.
The city could cancel the West Market Street project, freeing itself from the $616,000 obligation, but then the federal grant money would be lost from the city and distributed to other communities.
Sticking to his plan
Holmes isn't persuaded by the arguments and says he's sticking to his plan for resurfacing. "We have to set money aside for the roads."
Holmes believes the city can come up with the money for the West Market Street project, but he reasons that the condition of neighborhood streets also is important.
"Are we going to just have the roads that lead to other cities taken care of and then have people not even be able to get out of their driveways because their streets are so bad?" he said. "We've got to take care of the neighborhood streets."
Robison also refers to other projects, such as the North Road Connector, "which will open up land for residential and commercial development expanding our tax base and population."
The city's portion of that project is $670,000 in 2005. The sole dedicated funding source for the work is about $150,000 annually from vehicle license fees.
If the city started to set aside these funds toward this project, including what's now in the account, $187,000 more would be needed in 2005 to implement the project, Robison wrote.
Holmes believes that project will benefit the Eastwood Mall, not city residents.
Mayor's input
Mayor Hank Angelo acknowledges that the project will benefit both Niles and Howland, but he said a developer plans a 140,000-square-foot retail establishment and a 300-unit upscale apartment complex in Warren that also will benefit from the North Road connector.
That means property and income tax for the city.
Angelo said he plans to turn over packets on the budget to council members. General fund departments requested about $31 million for 2003. City Auditor David Griffing has certified about $28 million. If the license fees and Anthem stock sale are set aside for road resurfacing, that increases requests to more than $32 million.
Council can tell the administration its priorities for that $28 million, ask the administration for its recommendation for the $28 million or say what it wants. Angelo will tell council the costs and it can make the cuts.
The mayor says it's up to council to determine the level of city services.
dick@vindy.com