HUBBARD TOWNSHIP Trustees take steps to address overweight trucks

The trucks are ruining the township roads, officials said
By KATIE MATOLA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
HUBBARD -- Trustees gave Police Chief Todd Coonce authority to use discretion in assigning extra officers and hours to help remove unsafe and overweight tractor-trailers from township roads.
The board has tried unsuccessfully to have the truck weigh station on Interstate 80 moved closer to the Ohio/Pennsylvania line to help with this problem. Many truck drivers are trying to beat the weigh station, trustees said.
For the police to stop the truck drivers, they must be within a three-mile radius of the scale house. These overweight and unsafe trucks are ruining the township roads, officials said, and the police station is hearing increased complaints from residents, particularly the residents living on state Route 7.
The police department will receive 50 percent of overweight fine receipts from the Ohio Department of Transportation, once the truck drivers pay the fines.
Hubbard Township police will try this plan for 120 days and then re-evaluate the process.
ODOT office
It was announced that ODOT in Ravenna is abandoning its building because of floods and will be moving south of Akron. The township objects to this move and asked ODOT to find a more central location in District 4.
A meeting will be held at noon Oct. 22 to discuss the Trumbull County 911 system and its status. Trumbull 911 experienced flood damage and equipment loss this summer.
Union Cemetery lost its office and storage space during floods. With the basement collapsing, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is leaning toward leveling the building and building a new one without a basement, officials said. FEMA was bringing in a trailer for temporary use.
The township will be holding a tire collection from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at the township building.
Trustees want to form a joint committee of the city and township to create a comprehensive plan to address long-term problems.