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The meeting will be the first of many before the grant's application deadline.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HUBBARD -- Residents of the Maplewood area of the township can learn more about a grant application at a public meeting.
The meeting, 7 p.m. Monday at Phillip's Chapel and Church of God in Christ, 3903 Jacobs Road S.E., will be hosted by the Trumbull County Planning Commission and will cover the application process for the Community Distress Grant.
"This is a new grant through the Ohio Department of Development," Julie Green of the Trumbull County Planning Commission explained. "It is a competitive Community Development Block Grant."
Green said the planning commission, along with Trustee Fred Hanley, other township officials and members of the Maplewood Park Improvement Club, will apply for $450,000.
"The application focuses on multiple activities," she said. "We are looking at paving work, storm drains, creating a park and working on a community center."
Green said more activities addressed in the application means a better chance of approval.
Trumbull County was awarded a similar grant for work in Howland Township in 2001. Girard also received a grant that year, she said. They were two of only 10 awarded that year in the state.
Every other year
Rules for the grant state that applications can be made only every other year, meaning the county could not submit another request until this year.
Green said Monday's meeting will be the first of several between now and the grant's February deadline.
The Maplewood Park area, located in the township's southern portion, has been an area of concern for some time because of needed work in various areas, including sanitary sewers.
Earlier this year, trustees applied for a $1.1 million federal grant to construct sanitary sewers in the area bounded by the Youngstown city limits, state Route 616, Jacobs Road and Lincoln Avenue.
slshaulis@vindy.com