CHANNEL 19 Township to contribute funds

Trustees will try to sell property on Woodridge Drive.
By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- Township trustees have agreed to spend $15,000 this year on Channel 19, the township's community television station.
At a meeting Monday night, trustees unanimously approved a resolution to pay the station $7,500 now and $7,500 in installments over the rest of the year.
In April, Trustees Bo Pritchard and Lisa Oles said they weren't considering funding the station because it was not their top financial priority. Pritchard had said he couldn't approve funding for the channel while the township faced the possibility of laying off employees because of financial difficulties.
Township Clerk Michael Kurish has stressed that the township may face financial problems next year because of increases in costs and decreases in revenue. Kurish also has predicted, however, that the township will have a $300,000 carry-over at the end of this year, in part, because a few large construction projects are expected to lead to a record year for zoning permit fees.
Channel 19 also is funded in part by the school district. Oles met with district officials to discuss the station earlier this month, and after that meeting, she said she was willing to give the station $15,000 this year, the same amount it got last year.
Trustee David Ditzler also said he was willing to give the station $15,000 this year.
Committed to station
School Superintendent Stan Watson has said the district was committed to keeping the station on the air even if it does not receive money from the trustees. Watson added, however, that the station may have to cut back some of its coverage of community events if it did not receive township money.
Pritchard had said he was willing to give the station only $7,500, citing the possibility of financial difficulties next year.
On Monday, Pritchard said he eventually decided to vote to give the station $15,000 because the township will be able to raise some additional revenue through the sale of nine acres of property on Woodridge Drive. Trustees unanimously approved a resolution Monday night to sell the land for $126,000.
Zoning-fee revenue
Pritchard also noted that the township was expected to collect a record amount of revenue from zoning fees this year.
Pritchard and Ditzler also had expressed concern in the past about the sale of the Woodridge Drive property, which is located in a residential neighborhood across the street from Leonard Kirtz school. Ditzler said he had been worried that Leonard Kirtz school would buy the property and build a bus garage that would disturb other residents.
He stressed on Monday that he would still vote against selling the property to the school if it planned to build a bus garage,
Pritchard said he couldn't justify keeping the property while the township was facing an uncertain financial future.
hill@vindy.com