WARREN City grants abatement for plastics company

Council also OK'd a contract for running the baseball and softball leagues.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- City council unanimously granted a 75 percent, 10-year tax abatement for a Champion plastics manufacturer to relocate to the city.
Bloom Industries Inc., Kinkaid Road, Champion, plans to move into the former Taylor-Winfield building on Mahoning Avenue. Tony Iannucci of Warren Redevelopment and Planning told council members at a meeting Wednesday that the company intends to invest $3.1 million in equipment, inventory, furniture and fixtures in the building.
The company employs between 100 and 120 people and will add 35 new employees each this year and in 2004, and 30 more in 2005 with the project.
Robert Angelo, city school board member, said the board doesn't object to the abatement.
All the new positions would be full time, according to the company's application filed with the Trumbull County Planning Commission, for an estimated annual payroll of $2 million over three years.
Improvements slated
Company owner Ted Bloom said the company has outgrown its space, so it wants to remodel and move into the Taylor-Winfield building.
The investment includes $1 million for improvements to the building, $600,000 in new machinery and equipment, $100,000 for new furniture and fixtures and $1.4 million in additional inventory.
The project involves improvement to the building's roof, sprinkler and electrical systems, restrooms, offices and new material handling and other equipment.
Trumbull County commissioners also must approve the abatement. If approved, the project would begin in May and wrap up in December.
Sports leagues
Council members also approved a contract for running the adult baseball and softball leagues. Councilmen Brendan J. Keating, D-5th; Robert A. Marchese, D-at large; and James A. "Doc" Pugh, D-6th, all voted against the legislation.
Under the contract, the person who runs the program would be able to keep the first $9,000 of income generated annually. All net income after $9,000 would be divided equally between the city and the person running the program, but that person would not receive more than $15,000 total.
City officials have said that Mark Albani, who has run the program for the last several years, agreed to run it again this year because the city was unable to find someone else who's qualified and willing to do it.
A contract to run the leagues last season was never signed.
Albani had placed the roughly $6,000 from the season into the proper bank account, and the city received it last month, city officials have said.
He has said that teams don't always pay in a timely manner, so the city doesn't get its money in a timely manner.
Both Marchese and Keating said they opposed a contract with someone who had to be prodded to turn in money from the leagues to the city. Marchese also wants to know the amount the city spends on maintenance of the fields.
Pugh said he voted no because he opposed a section of the contract allowing the operator to "hand-pick" a person to mentor and teach how to run the leagues for next year.