HUBBARD City fails to act on proposal

Council didn't get the latest version of the contract until the meeting began.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HUBBARD -- The city still doesn't have an agreement to build a tower to improve communications for city and township safety forces.
Information on construction of the tower didn't reach city council Monday after a councilman failed to bring it to the floor.
Alltel has been proposing to build the tower on city-owned property on Creed Avenue.
In exchange, the Hubbard Volunteer Fire Department and city and Hubbard Township police would receive about $74,000 in communications equipment.
The city also would receive $500 monthly that would increase during the life of the 25-year agreement.
If Alltel was to back out of the agreement, the city and township would keep the communications equipment, a shelter at the tower base and a generator.
The city administration initiated legislation that Councilman Edward Palestro, D-4th, was supposed to introduce Monday night.
Palestro, however, said he was under the impression that the measure would be discussed in executive session.
But Mayor Arthur U. Magee told Palestro the executive session had nothing to do with the Alltel agreement.
When lawmakers emerged from the executive session that was called to discuss where to put $2.5 million in generators the city has bought, the tower legislation wasn't introduced.
Mike Pitchure, a project manager for Site Quest Ltd. of Akron, which does site acquisition and engineering for Alltel, said he was losing confidence in the city.
The project was introduced to council about nine months ago.
No copies
Another problem with the legislation was that council members didn't have copies of the latest agreement. They had a version of the contract dated Jan. 26.
Councilman John Marshall, D-2nd, said though he doesn't oppose the project, he wanted to see the final version of the contract before voting.
Site Quest provided council with the latest version before the meeting began.
Magee asserted that council could give the city's controlling board authorization to enter into the agreement, and the board would work out the details.
"We have people out there with equipment that doesn't work," the mayor said.
Magee said a special meeting also might have to be called for council to consider the agreement.
Pitchure said he wasn't sure what Site Quest would do because council didn't act on the tower proposal.
yovich@vindy.com