TRUMBULL COUNTY Disaster agency looks for a central location

It's the county's responsibility to maintain what's been bought with a grant.
WARREN -- Trumbull County's Emergency Management Agency is looking for a central location to house its vehicles and equipment, and also a way to pay for it.
There's no simple solution to either issue, agency Director Linda Beil was told Monday during a budget hearing before county commissioners. The commissioners are having hearings with department heads as they try to trim $6 million out of a $38 million budget after expiration of a county sales tax.
The problem, she explained, is that the agency has taken up temporary rent-free quarters on the second floor of the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport. But it has vehicles parked outside, and all across the county at various fire departments and agencies. Some of this includes vehicles bought with federal Homeland Security dollars.
& quot;We have $100,000 worth of equipment sitting outside of the airport right now," Beil said. And although a grant may have paid for the equipment, the county is responsible for its maintenance -- including replacement of rotting tires.
George Brown, Howland's fire chief and a member of the EMA board, said the agency needs an emergency operations center, especially if the agency is to function smoothly in the event of a disaster or major emergency.
"We need to at least look for a permanent home for the EMA," he said.
No money, no room
Commissioner James Tsagaris said there's no money for that now. There's also no room at the county engineer's grounds on North River Road unless the county can somehow build EMA quarters there.
The agency has been at the airport in recent months since being displaced from quarters on Chestnut Avenue, which were damaged by mold.
Brown urged Tsagaris and Commissioner Daniel Polivka to look at partnerships with the private sector, as some of these businesses are downsizing and may have available space.
Also attending was Paul Heltzel, commissioner-elect, who joins the board in January.
Tsagaris said officials could look into grants but added he believes the airport location "would be the best place, really, if you have your own place."
In the interim, commissioners will send a letter to the Western Reserve Port Authority asking about any space, such as a hangar, that may be available for the EMA's needs.
Beil explained that her agency can apply for a state EMA grant, but the county would have to match the dollar amount. "The county just doesn't have the money to give us," she said.
The budget amount she has set for 2005 is $151,000, same as this year. The agency gets federal grants as well as $48,000 from all of the townships, villages and cities. Technically the county is supposed to match that $48,000, she said. Commissioners gave a $22,000 match last year.
911 funding
In a related matter, Tim Gladis, director of Trumbull County's 911 center, requested $1.76 million for 2005 -- "basically level funding."
He said the department is short by eight employees -- three laid off from budget cuts nearly two years ago plus five other openings through attrition.
"We have operated with a bare bones staff the last year and a half," he explained. The 23 dispatchers on staff take annually about 13,000 fire and emergency services calls, 71,000 police calls and 30,000 911 calls.
The only way to realize a significant budget savings, Gladis said, is to reduce staffing through layoffs. "If we reduce these services, reduce people, it's going to drastically curtail our operation," he said.