TRUMBULL COUNTY Hubbard officials: Raise tax for plan

Department heads have explained the need to provide services.
& lt;a href=mailto:yovich@vindy.com & gt;By TIM YOVICH & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HUBBARD -- Mayor Arthur U. Magee's comprehensive five-year plan depends upon an infusion of cash if the city's immediate and long-term needs are met.
The mayor and his department heads made their pitch to city council this week to bring home to lawmakers and the public the need to increase the city income tax.
In presenting his five-year operational plan, Magee proposes to increase the tax by 0.5 percent, to 1.5 percent. The tax increase, coupled with the elimination of tax credits for those city residents who work out of town, will generate about $900,000 annually.
Mayor's priority
Although Magee's priority is a $1.1 million police headquarters, or "safety building," he and his department heads also are proposing millions of dollars in new equipment, projects and added manpower.
In addition to a police headquarters, Police Chief Marty Kanetsky said the city should spend $25,000 annually for a cruiser-replacement program, increase from six to 10 the number of part-time officers, add a full-time officer to work in the schools and computers in cruisers.
David Kyle, chief of the Hubbard Volunteer Fire Department, pointed to an inadequate fire station. In the future, new trucks won't fit inside the station because of their increased length.
Kyle said that within the next three years, the fire station will need about $30,000 in repairs, a pumper truck that will cost $300,000 to $400,000, $40,000 in replacement firefighter gear and a part-time administrator. Within four to 10 years, the department will need a second truck, full-time chief and full-time firefighters to provide ambulance service.
Better infrastructure
Improved infrastructure also is high on the priority list.
Kenneth Graben, head of water and waste, said there is a need for the construction of a $1.5 million standpipe because the city has only a 24-hour drinking-water supply during an interruption.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has recommended second standpipe and may make it mandatory.
Other items include the elimination of "dead end" waterlines. Looping lines will provides better quality water and make it easier to isolate needed repairs, Graben explained.
There is a need for automatic meter reading to decrease estimated bills and an inventory of lines, including their location, size and depth.
The cost of most of the improvements are unknown.
There is about $100,000 in work needed at the sewage treatment plant while the lift station on South Main Street needs to be replaced.
Work on sewer lines
Like the waterlines, an inventory is needed of the 57 miles of underground sewer lines. There is also a need, the plan says, for a $40,000 televising machine to find problems in sewer lines and $55,000 in other equipment.
There is also a need for at least $1.12 million to replace aged sewer lines, Graben added, and $1.3 million to halt storm water from entering the sanitary system.
Edward Palestro Jr., head of the utilities department, said that in the short term, a storage facility is needed for the rolling stock, $11,000 to paint three electric substations, a $125,000 truck and $100,000 to install new electric service to Truck World.
Paul Collins said his street department is "back in the '60s" because it doesn't even have a computer system. The department should have a $235,000 machine to clean sewers, a $75,000 truck and $250,000 for a five-year street resurfacing program. Collins pointed out that 80 percent to 85 percent of the streets will require resurfacing over the next five years.
& lt;a href=mailto:yovich@vindy.com & gt;yovich@vindy.com & lt;/a & gt;